Wheeling, W. Va. - As the calendar turns to October, the Wheeling University Men's Soccer team (0-6-2, 0-4-1) is looking to turn the page themselves and get back on track. The team hits the road to start the new month as they travel to Frostburg State with kick-off at 7:30 PM. Wheeling is looking for their first conference win of the season as they begin the stretch run to the MEC Tournament.
Last time out, the Cardinals played host to West Liberty University and for the game's first 45 minutes it was a back-and-forth battle. Wheeling would get on the board just 22 minutes into the game on their first penalty kick attempt of the year to take a 1-0 lead. West Liberty answered just seven minutes later, and the two teams would be locked at 1-1 at halftime. The two teams were pretty even on shots, with West Liberty outshooting the Cardinals 9-4 and the Cardinal defense only allowed one shot on net in the half. However, as the second half began, things went down hill as West Liberty's chances increased. They would outshoot Wheeling 14-4 over the final 45 minutes and scored four goals to pick up a 5-1 win.
The Cardinals once again got strong work in net as Daniel Delo and Carlos Molina who each played about a half of play. Delo would make one save on the night, facing three shots and had to leave in the 47th minute due to injury. Carlos Molina came in during the game's second half, and helped stop the bleeding as much as possible. He would make four saves on the seven shots he faced on the day over 42 minutes in net. Wheeling has gotten solid play in net all season long, with Delo and Molina combining for a .648 save percentage on the season. Delo has a slight advantage in that category, with a .659 save percentage compared to a .648 save percentage for Molina. The two continue to work in net to keep the opposition off the board.
As Wheeling tries to continue to find their offense, they added another new goal scorer to the list this season. Josh Timbrell was the latest Cardinal to get on the board, attempting the team's first Penalty Kick of the season and finding the back of the net. He is the fifth different Cardinal to score at least one goal in a game this season and is now tied with teammate Andrew Gerbaldo for the team lead with three points this season. On the Cardinal's back line, Alvaro Ivanov continues to lead the effort, forcing bad shots from the opposition all season long. Ivanov has stepped up big this season, taking several of the team's free kicks as he looks to continue to lead from the back line.
As October begins, the Wheeling Men's Soccer team continues another long stretch of games away from Bishop Schmitt Field. Four of their next five games are on the road, including matchups with MEC powerhouses Davis & Elkins and the University of Charleston. The Cardinals have played better on the road this season, picking up both of their ties and scoring at least one goal in three of their four road games this season. They look to conjure up some of that magic away from Bishop Schmitt Field so they can get momentum for the stretch run. The Cardinals currently sit just two games out of an MEC playoff spot, and a run on the road could set them up for a chance to clinch a playoff game at home during the end of the season.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Bobcats are meeting for the 10th time in program history on Wednesday night, with Frostburg State leading the all-time matchup at 6-3. The Cardinals hold a 1-4 record at Bobcat stadium, compared to a 2-2 record at Bishop Schmitt Field and are averaging .089 goals per game. The recent series has been back and forth, with the two teams splitting the last six meetings, and Frostburg State winning each of the last two matches.
Their most recent meeting came on October 25th, 2023, in a game the Bobcats would win 4-2. Rocco LiTrenta and former Cardinal Richard Afolayanka would lead the offense, scoring each of the two scores on the day, while Afolaynaka led the team with seven shots, three on goal. Austin Aaron would get the start in net for the Cardinals, and finished with three saves on seven shots faced to round out the day.
The Details
Kick-off for Wednesday night's game is scheduled for 7:30 PM inside Bobcat Stadium on the campus of Frostburg State University. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
