Wheeling, W. Va. - It was a big divisional matchup on Wednesday night at Bishop Schmitt Field as the Wheeling Women's Soccer team (4-11-1, 3-9-1) hosted Frostburg State. The Cardinals would get on the board in the 63^rd minute, but it wouldn't be enough as they fell to Frostburg State. However, with Point Park's loss to West Liberty, the Cardinals have officially clinched a spot in the 2024 Moutain East Conference (MEC) Tournament.

Three of Frostburg State's four goals came in the game's first half and the Bobcats kept the aggression going as they came out for the second half. They took the first shot of the half in the 49^th minute and a Sam Faulkner save would keep it a 3-0 game. After another shot off target, the Bobcats would get on the board in the 53^rd minute as Carly Gillette found the net off a pass from Amber Ignundo and the Bobcats took a 4-0 lead. Frostburg continued to shoot over the next ten minutes, and Faulkner would come up with another big save to keep it at 4-0. With the Cardinal offense looking for an answer, they turned to their offensive leader Mary DiFonzo as she got the Cardinals going.
Her first shot came in the 58^th minute, following a Wheeling foul, but Frostburg goalkeeper Katie Sterne got in front of the shot.

The Bobcats would start to go to their bench, and DiFonzo would have another opportunity five minutes later. This time, DiFonzo was streaking down the nearside of the field, and she made a move around the Bobcat defense. She sent a shot soaring towards the top right corner of the net and she hit the back netting to get the Cardinals on the board, making it a 4-1 game. The Cardinals would continue shooting over the game's final 26 minutes, taking seven shots and putting two of those on goal. Wheeling tried to put together one last offensive push in the final minute of play, as Nyah Smith tried to sneak a shot in, but Kayla Doty would make the save for Frostburg State, bringing the game to its final score of 4-1.

Despite the onslaught of shots from Frostburg State, the Cardinals remained strong on defense, led by the efforts of goalkeeper Sam Faulkner. Faulkner would make four saves on the day on eight shots faced, allowing just one goal in the final 45 minutes of play. The Cardinal defense held Frostburg State to a .533 shot on goal percentage on the day, including allowing just four shots on goal over the final 45 minutes. Mary DiFonzo would be the Cardinal's leader on offense, taking three shots and putting all three on goal, while scoring the team's only goal of the night. Lily Hanna would lead the way with four shots, while Nyah Smith took two shots, putting one of those on goal.

In the game's opening minutes, the teams bounced the ball back and forth with neither team taking a shot over the first 10 minutes of play. In the 13^th minute, the first shot of the game would come from Frostburg's Jayme Sooy, who found the back of the net to give the Bobcats a 1-0 lead. Frostburg State continued taking their shots, and a Faulkner save in the 17^th minute kept it a one-goal game, but the ricochet would go in from Frostburg's Catherine Smith and it was a 2-0 game. Talynn DeBartolo would follow on the ensuing offensive possession with the Cardinal's first shot on goal, but Sterne would jump in front of the shot. It would be the only shot on net in the half for the Cardinals, and Frostburg State's Madison Hobson would score the team's third goal to send the game into halftime at 3-0. Frostburg would get the final goal in the second half, but it was enough to hold on as the Cardinals fell 4-1.

The Wheeling University Women's Soccer team returns to action on Sunday, November 3^rd, when they take on Salem in non-conference action with kick-off at 4 PM.