Wheeling, W. Va. - The Wheeling University Volleyball team (7-6, 1-0) opened Mountain East Conference (MEC) play with a bang on Tuesday night when they defeated Fairmont State 3-1. The Cardinals now get set to bring MEC play to the Alma Grace McDonough Center when they host Frostburg State at 7 PM. It will be the first time that the home crowd will see the Cardinals against a conference opponent as they continue on their quest for a spot in the 2022 MEC Tournament.

The Cardinals opened MEC play on Tuesday against Fairmont State in a game that was back and forth throughout the night. The first set set the stage for the entire match as the teams battled to a win-by-two scenario before Wheeling won the set 26-24. That win in extra points gave Wheeling momentum and could have been the difference in the match. The Cardinals came back strong in set two with a 25-20 win as they took a 2-0 lead in the match. However, Fairmont State wasn't done as they captured set three 25-18 and forced a fourth set. After falling behind early, Wheeling was able to battle back and took the set 25-22 and won the match 3-0. It was a strong start for the Cardinals as they got contributions all around.

It was a breakout game for sophomore Mady Winters, who set her new season high with 21 kills in the winning effort. Over her last six games, Winters hadn't been able to crack the double-digit kill mark, with her highest effort being nine against Clarion. However, she had her swing working in the conference opener as she knocked down 21 kills on 31 tries and had a .516 hitting percentage. She was one of three Cardinals to finish with double digit kills. Tylah Yeomans continued her strong season, knocking down 15 kills, and Allonda Watkins had her third straight double digit kill game with 14 kills on the night.

Defensively, sophomore Chylyn Pate got her second straight start as the team's libero and finished with 16 Digs to lead the team. Wheeling's defensive showing has been a team effort this season with the entire back line contributing and that was a pattern that continued Tuesday. Raegan Rosi and Jordan West each got in on the action for the Cardinals, finishing with nine and seven digs respectively, and Karly Niesen added six digs of her own. The back line continues to do a solid job of getting the ball to Wheeling's setters and keeping the opposition off the board.

With the conference schedule in full swing, all 12 MEC teams were in action with divisional play beginning. Wheeling, Notre Dame College, and Frostburg State all picked up wins in their MEC openers in the North Division, with Wheeling set to go toe to toe with Frostburg on Friday night. The Cardinals begin their conference slate with three of their first four games coming against the top four teams below them in the North Division last season, and they look to defend their MEC North Division title in the coming weeks.

The Matchup