Wheeling, W. Va. - The four-week stretch run to the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Tournament kicked off on Wednesday night as the Wheeling University Women's Soccer team (3-7-2, 1-6-2) returned to Bishop Schmitt Field on Wednesday Afternoon. After falling behind early, the Cardinals got a late second half goal from Phepha Seopa, and it was enough to earn a draw with the Bobcats 1-1. The Cardinals got one point back on their run to the tournament as they look to battle back into that fourth spot in the MEC North Division.
It was a back and forth game throughout the afternoon, with Wheeling outshooting the Bobcats 14-10 over the 90 minutes of action. Entering the second half of the game, the Cardinals had an 8-6 shooting advantage over the Bobcats, but still found themselves trailing West Virginia Wesleyan 1-0. Neither team was able to get a shot off over the first eight minutes of the second half, before Seopa sent a shot that went wide right in the 53rd minute. Goalkeeper Olivia Kqira, who conceded just the one goal in the first half, did her part to start the new half, making two big saves in the 60th and 74th minutes to keep the deficit at one for the Cardinals. Meanwhile, the Cardinals had gotten three shots off during that time, but only one landed on goal as they looked for their opportunity.
It would come following Kqira's second save as she sent the ball back up the field. Shiann Thomas grabbed the ball in the midfield and sent a pass to Seopa who was waiting in front of the net. She made a move from her left foot to her right foot to get around the defender and found the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1. It was Seopa's first score of the season as she evened up the score. Wheeling would have one more scoring opportunity in the 83rd minute when Thomas sent a shot towards net, but it ended up hitting off the crossbar and the game would end with a 1-1 tie. It was another point for the Cardinals in the MEC Tournament race as they entered action on Wednesday sitting four points behind Fairmont State for the final playoff spot.
In the first half, the scoring chances came much quicker for both clubs, as the first 10 minutes of play featured two shots on goal. The first came from the Bobcats in the second minute when Zamora Paloma took a shot, but Kqira was there to make the stop. On the other end, the Cardinal's opportunity came in the ninth minute of the game as Talynn DeBartolo, who has been gainin more and more confidence as of late, put a shot on goal that was saved by Bobcat goalkeeper Alyssa Williams. The teams would continue to go back and forth until West Virginia Wesleyan broke through in the 33rd minute with their first goal of the night Ashley McGee got on the board for the Bobcats, and that goal stood as the lone mark until halftime as the Bobcats led 1-0 heading into the crazy second half.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was Phepha Seopa, who scored her first goal of the year while taking three shots, putting one on net. After missing the first few games of the season, Seopa has been slowly working her way back into the lineup a broke through for the first time today. Talynn DeBartolo led the Cardinals with four shots, three on goal, while Nyah Smith (2) and Mary DiFonzo (2) each finished with multiple shots taken. Olivia Kqira had another strong effort in net for the Cardinals, finishing with seven saves on eight shots as she approaches the 100 saves mark, finishing the day with 98 saves.
The Wheeling University Women's Soccer team looks to get back into the win column when they return to action on Sunday, October 15th, as they hit the road to face Glenville State with kick-off at 2 PM.
