Wheeling, W. Va. - Last time out, the Wheeling University Men's Soccer team (7-9-1, 7-7-1) clinched a home playoff game with a big win over Alderson Broaddus. On Saturday, they prepare for that home playoff game when they hit the road for their second meeting in "The Battle for Wheeling" with West Liberty at 1 PM. The Cardinals offense was electric on Wednesday, with seven different Cardinals scoring goals, and the team looks to continue that offensive success as they look for momentum heading into the MEC Tournament.
Last time out, the Cardinals scored the most goals in a game since they joined the Mountain East Conference back in 2013, falling just five goals shy of the single game program record. It didn't take long for the offense to get started as in the fifth minute; the Cardinals were on the board. They added six goals in that first half and had a healthy 6-1 lead heading into halftime. The offense would not slow down in the second half, adding on three more goals to make it a nine-goal game for the Cardinals. Alderson Broaddus added three goals of their own in the second half, but Wheeling had sealed the deal and walked away with the win.
Seven different Cardinals got involved in the scoring offense, including both seniors who were honored before the game. Gerardo Lopez was the first of the two to get on the board, scoring the first goal of his collegiate career. He entered the game around the 35th minute and got an assist in the 42nd minute on teammate Florian Regent's goal. Just before halftime, Lopez had the ball at the 35-yard line and launched it towards the net when he got to the 30. It sailed over the goalkeeper's head and found the back of the net to give Wheeling that 6-1 lead before halftime. It was a big moment for Lopez, who finished with the goal and assist on the day to help lead the Cardinal's offense.
The Cardinals also had multi-goal games from two of their top scorers this season in Richard Afolayanka and Christian Ruud. Afolayanka pulled into the team lead for goals, bringing his total to eight for the season as he picked up his second multi-goal game of the year. Christian Ruud secured his first multi-goal effort and brought his season total to a career-best five goals. Three of Wheeling's five forwards have five or more goals this season, with all five having at least five goals. The offense is going to be key to Wheeling's success in this playoff run as they look to put up big numbers.
With the #4 seed already clinched and the Cardinals not being able to finish higher or lower than the fourth seed, Wheeling will be using this final game as a tune-up for the playoffs. There are still some things that the Cardinals want to work on, and this will give them a chance to work on those things while making sure everyone exits healthy. Wheeling is set to host their first home game in the MEC Tournament since the 2013 season and wants to enter that match healthy and with momentum on their side.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Hilltoppers are meeting for the ninth time in program history and the second time during the 2022 season. Wheeling leads the all-time matchup at 5-3 and is coming off a 5-0 win earlier this season against the Hilltoppers. However, up on the hilltop, the Cardinals have not had as much success, going 1-3 in four previous meetings at West Liberty. The Cardinals look to turn that around Saturday and get the momentum back on their side.
In the first meeting of the season, Wheeling walked away with a 5-0 victory as they outshot West Liberty 20-7 in that game. Five different Cardinals scored in that game, with Miguel Martin, Adam Edvinsson, Christian Ruud, Salem Mwelwa, and Andrew Bell all getting on the board. Carlos Molina got the start in that game and picked up a shutout making two saves on the two shots he faced on net.
The Details
Kick-off for Saturday's "Battle for Wheeling" is scheduled for 1 PM on the campus of West Liberty University. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
