Wheeling, W. Va. – The Wheeling Men's Soccer team (3-5-1, 3-3-1) wrapped up Saturday's doubleheader at Bishop Schmitt Field when they hosted The University of Charleston. The Cardinals battled with the defending NCAA Division II runner ups, but two late goals were enough to sink them 2-0. Wheeling didn't conseed the first goal until the 53rd minute and kept it a 1-0 affair until the game's 87th minute.

The first 45 minutes of the night we're an all out possession battle between the two teams with neither able to gain an advantage. Both teams took three first half shots and it would be Wheeling's Diego Buenano that took shot #1 in the game's second minute. However, it was saved and Wheeling had to go back to the drawing board. The next shot wasn't taken until the game's 30th minute as the ball continued to go back and forth between the two offenses. Buenano would take two of his team's three first half shots and fellow freshman Cole Congson added the other shot. All three shots landed on net, but each shot was saved so the team's headed into the half with the score deadlocked  at 0-0.

As the second half began, Wheeling would once again take no time to get off the first shot of the half. This time, it came courtesy of junior Richard Afolayanka, who missed wide right. Just eight minutes later, the 0-0 tie was broken as Charl stim's Santiago Hoyos made it a 1-0 game. Even with the tie gone, it was still anyone's game with 37 minutes remaining in the clock. Wheeling managed to get four more shots off in the second half, however, they werent as efficient as their first half, putting just one of those on net. The score remained 0-0 as the 86th minute ticked by, but Charleston would end up sealing the game. In the 87th minute, Mattheo Ledoux found the net and brought the game to its 2-0 final score.

Diego Buenano and Richard Afolayanka led the offense with three shots each on the night. Buenano was the more efficient shooter, putting two shots on net compared to one for Afolayanka. The final shot of the night came from Cole Congson who found the net with his only shot of the night. Carlos Molina got the start in net for Wheeling, and faced six shots on net throughout the night. He made four saves on those six shots in wgat was a strong performance in the loss. With the loss, the Cardinals even up their conference record and head into their next week of conference play looking to grow from this game.

The Wheeling University Men's Soccer team returns to action on Wednesday, September 28th, when they take on Davis & Elkins on the road 7 PM.