Wheeling, W. Va. – Just four weeks remain in the 2023 Mountain East Conference (MEC) Women's Soccer regular season and the race is on for the 2023 MEC Tournament. The Wheeling University Women's Soccer team (3-7-1, 1-6-1) enter Wednesday sitting just five points out of a playoff spot and look to get going as they return to Bishop Schmitt Field on Wednesday afternoon. They take on West Virginia Wesleyan at 1 PM and look to get three points closer to that coveted top four in the MEC North Division.
Last time out, the Cardinals took on the best of the best from the MEC South, when they hosted the University of Charleston. In front of a wild crowd that included friends, family, and alumni, the Cardinals competed throughout the night, but it wasn't enough as they fell to the Golden Eagles 4-0. The defense got its share of work throughout the afternoon, facing 30 shots on the evening, with 16 of those shots going on net. Wheeling held the Golden Eagles to two goals in each half, but they could not sneak one into the back of the net as they fell to Charleston 4-0. The Cardinals were efficient throughout the evening, putting six of their nine shots on the day on net, but in the end, they were unable to get on the scoreboard.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was junior Talynn DeBartolo, who finished the afternoon with four shots, putting three of those on goal. Over her last six games, DeBartolo has been the leader for the Cardinal's offense, taking four or more shots in each game during that span. She has scored four of her five goals during the run and currently sits tied with teammate Nyah Smith for the team lead with five goals this season. The effort matches her career-high, which she set last season in the red and black, as she continues to grow on the field. With Mary DiFonzo having to drop back more to help on the defensive end, DeBartolo has been one of the featured attackers for the Cardinals and looks to continue to take advantage of her opportunities.
While the Cardinals have been plagued with injuries throughout the season, they are beginning to see the return of some of those key players. This past week, their defense brought back two key pieces with junior Morgan Montani and senior Shiann Thomas each making their return to the lineup after missing time. They, along with Tayler Wells, Zayna Hampton, and Caryn Goins, have been working together all season long to help the Cardinal's defensive effort. They diverted several offensive opportunities by their opponents and have helped goalkeeper Olivia Kqira continue her strong season. Kqira faced 16 shots in the game against Charleston and ended up making 12 saves to bring her season total to 91 saves. The Cardinal's defense is going to be crucial down the stretch and, as they continue to get healthier, they look to take their play to the next level.
As they end the six-game stretch against the MEC South this week, the Cardinals are looking to string some wins together as they take on the bottom two teams from the other division. One of the keys to the Cardinal's success this season has been early offense, as they are a perfect 2-0-1 when scoring first in games this season. With the defense already putting up strong numbers this season, if the Cardinals can put together a more consistent offensive attack down the stretch, they will work their way into the playoff race. After this stretch against the MEC South, the final five games of the 2023 season come against MEC North opponents, where the Cardinals will get the opportunity to gain ground on their division foes and climb into the top four.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Bobcats will be meeting for the 29th time in program history, with West Virginia Wesleyan leading the all-time series at 22-5-1. The Cardinals have had more success at home in the all-time series, going 3-8-1 compared to a 2-14 record when they met in Buckhannon, West Virginia. The Bobcats have won three of the last four meetings between the two teams, with the fourth being a tie, as the Cardinals look for their first win against West Virginia Wesleyan since October 28th, 2017, when they won 1-0.
In last season's meeting, it was the Bobcats that got the better of the Cardinals as Wheeling fell 5-2 on the road. The two Cardinal goals came courtesy of Bailey Walker and former Cardinal Kenadee Burgoyne, with each getting on the board in separate halves. The Cardinals took 13 shots in the game, putting nine of those on goal, with four different Cardinals ending with multiple shots taken. Former Cardinal Mikayla Yarwood got the start in net, making nine saves on 14 shots faced to lead the defensive effort.
The Details
Kick-off for Wednesday afternoon's game is scheduled for 4 PM at Bishop Schmitt Field. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
