Wheeling, W. Va. - The Wheeling University Volleyball team (14-7, 7-1) hit the road last time out as they took their first conference loss of the season. The Cardinals look for a bounce back effort as they return home to host West Virginia State on Friday at 7 PM. It is a rematch of the 2021 Mountain East Conference (MEC) Championship game as the Cardinals look to get back on track in front of their home crowd.
On Tuesday, the Cardinals would fall to the University of Charleston in a four-set battle in Charlesto, West Virginia. In the first set, the two teams battled through the early portion of the set and were tied 11-11 at the halfway point. A Cardinals 10-3 run created the separation they needed as they went on to win the set 25-21 lead. The Golden Eagles came back with a 25-11 win in set two and it would come down to the final two sets. Both sets went to a win-by-two scenario as both teams battled. However, both sets would go the same way as Charleston won 27-25 and would take the match 3-1. It was the Cardinals first conference loss of the season as they look to bounce back on their home floor.
Despite the loss, it was still a big day for two of the Cardinal's strongest attackers this season, Allonda Watkins and Tylah Yeomans. Both hitters finished the night with 13 kills and were two of the three Cardinals to finish with double-digit kills on the evening. Watkins continues to creep closer to the 1,000-career kills mark and enters tomorrow's match 204 kills away from that mark. She has double-digit kills in five of her last six matches, totaling 72 kills during that span. She has been a strong asset to the Wheeling offense this season and looks for continued success down the stretch run.
It was also a big performance by setter Karly Niesen as she picked up 53 assists and five kills in the game, while putting together a .500 hitting percentage. She has totaled 849 assists this season and has averaged 11.39 assists/set. She has helped the Cardinal's offense to a .293 hitting percentage this season, good for the top hitting percentage in the conference this season. The Cardinals also lead the conference in assists/set (12.30) led by Niesen's performance as she looks to continue to lead the Cardinals offense.
As the regular season comes down to its final three and a half weeks, the Cardinals look to continue to hold the top spot in the MEC North Division. They are one of four MEC teams that sit at 7-1 entering play on Friday night with Wheeling and Fairmont State sitting 7-1 in the North and Charleston and West Virginia State sitting at 7-1 in the south. The Cardinals are tied with Fairmont State but, because of their win earlier this season, the Cardinals currently hold the tiebreaker. It will be a battle over the final three weeks of the season as the teams fight for the opportunity to host the 2022 MEC Tournament.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Yellow Jackets will be meeting for the 30th time in program history, with Wheeling leading the all-time series with a record of 25-4. When they play in Wheeling, the Cardinals are 9-1 compared to a 10-2 record in Institute, West Virginia. Last season, the Cardinals and Yellow Jackets would face off twice, with the teams splitting the contests. Their last meeting came in the 2021 MEC Championship, where the Cardinals picked up a 3-1 win.
After West Virginia State won the first set, the Cardinals came back to win the next three sets to take the match and earn their ninth MEC Championship. Former Cardinal Kayla Bekier led the way with 18 kills and Mady Winters followed her up with 17 kills. Former Cardinals Audrey Francis and Jenna Franks led the defense with 30 digs and 20 digs respectively.
The Details
Tip-off for Friday's match is scheduled for 7 PM inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
