Wheeling, W. Va. – Ever since their Wheeling Invitational back on September 19th, the Wheeling University Volleyball team (9-7, 2-1) has had the luxury of playing on their home court. On Tuesday, they wrap up what has been a nine match Homestand when they host Frostburg State at 7 PM. It is a continuation of their first run through Mountain East Conference (MEC) North play as they look to get on a roll in October.
Last time out, the Cardinals played host to Point Park in their first-ever MEC matchup on Friday. The Cardinals were able to dive into their depth, with 16 different players making an impact in the win. In each set, it was a different player who made a difference as the offense went on runs of at least 5-0 in each of the three sets. The defense played their role as well, not allowing the Pioneers to sore more than 12 points in any of the three sets, including them holding Point Park to single digits in the first set. The offense would take advantage, hitting .270 or better in each of the three sets, with their best performance coming in the first set where they hit .435 as a team. They would pick up set wins of 25-9, 25-12, and 25-11 as they picked up their first conference three-set sweep of the season.
The Cardinals tried some different things throughout the match, but one of their biggest changes came at middle blocker. After being an outside hitter for each of the first 15 matches, she made the switch to middle blocker against Point Park and thrived on the court. She led the way with nine kills on the day on 15 total attacks while putting together a .600 hitting percentage. The effort tied her season-high, which she set back against Clarion on September 21st. Comer transfered into Wheeling this season, after spending each of the past three seasons at Notre Dame College and has inserted herself as an integral part of the Cardinal offense. With a new role in 2024, she looks to continue to make an impact as the Cardinals hit the stretch playoff run.
It was an all-around strong effort for the Cardinals, with the back line once again being led by senior Chylyn Pate. She finished second on the team with 10 digs on the day and had a clean sheet of receptions on the day. Since transitioning to one of the team's two full-time liberos, Pate has stepped up for the Cardinals, recording double digit digs in each of the last seven matches. The Cardinal's leader in digs on the day was Riley Kindall, who finished with 11 to go along with seven kills. While it broke her string of double-doubles, Kindall was able to continue her strong play on the court while allowing some of Wheeling's younger players a chance to sub in.
For Wheeling, Tuesday will be the continuation of an extended homestand that started back on September 19th with the opener of the Wheeling Invitational. The Cardinals have played each of their last eight matches at home as part of their already home-heavy schedule in 2024. However, during the middle of the month, the team will be tested on the road, with three of their next four matches coming away from the Alma Grace McDonough Center. The Cardinals are 7-1 on their home floor this season, including a 2-1 record in conference play, and look to continue riding that success as they head towards the 2024 MEC Tournament.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Bobcats will be meeting for the 13th time in program history on Tuesday, with Wheeling winning each of the first 12 meetings. It will be the fifth time the two teams have met inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center, with Wheeling holding a 5-0 record in those matches. Since 2019, the Cardinals have lost just one set against the Bobcats and are looking to continue that success as they host them for the first time in 2024 on Tuesday.
Their most recent meeting came in the Quarterfinal round of last season's MEC Tournament, where Wheeling picked up a 3-0 win. Former Cardinal Tylah Yeomans would pace the Cardinal's offensive effort, knocking down 25 kills, while Riley Kindall added nine. Melia Gorrell would lead the back line with 20 digs while Kindall added 14 of her own on the day.
The Details
Tip-off for Tuesday night's match is scheduled for 7 PM inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
