Wheeling, W. Va. - For the first time since the 2022 season, the Wheeling University Women's Soccer team (5-12-1, 3-10-1) finds themselves back in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Tournament. They kick-off their postseason run on Sunday as they travel to the #1 seed from the MEC South Charleston, with kick-off at 7 PM. The Cardinals were eliminated in the Quarterfinals in their run two seasons ago and are looking to further their run this season.

The Cardinals wrapped up their regular season last time out when they traveled to the Hilltop to face their rival West Liberty. Offense came fast and furious in the game, with the Hilltoppers scoring in the game's second minute and Wheeling would respond in the game's fourth minute. After the early offensive flurry, both defenses would lock down for the rest of the half. The Cardinals allowed each of their three first half shots in the first 10 minutes of the half and would outshoot the Hilltoppers 8-3 in the half. The Cardinal defense continued working into the second half, making four saves to keep it a 1-1 game. However, West Liberty would hold a one shot advantage in the second half and it was that shot that made the difference as they went on to win 2-1.

It was a big day for the Cardinal's defense, who held the Hilltoppers off the board for 83 minutes between goals. After missing the last few games due to injury, Olivia Kqira came back in net for the Cardinals and had a big day. She would face eight shots on the night, making six saves, to keep the Cardinals in the game as they battled for the #3 seed in the MEC North. Of those six saves, four came over the final 45 minutes of play as she worked to keep the game tied and give her offense an opportunity. As it got late in the game, Kqira continued stepping up, making two saves inside the final 20 minutes of play. As they face the top scoring team in the MEC this weekend, the Cardinal's defense is going to be crucial to the team's success.

The annual All-MEC awards were officially released on Friday, and the two top scorers for the Cardinals were recognized on the list. Leading the way is Mary DiFonzo, who has been the heart and soul of the Cardinals throughout her four seasons. DiFonzo earned First Team All-MEC honors this season, finishing with nine goals, two assists, and 20 points. When DiFonzo scores at least one goal in a game, the Cardinals hold a 5-3 record, compared to an 0-9-1 record when she doesn't score. The other top scorer for the Cardinals this season has been Lily Hanna who earned Second Team All-MEC honors, and a spot on the MEC's All-Freshman team. She is the conference's leader in shots (69) and shots on goal (35) and will look to fuel a postseason run.

As the Cardinals officially kick-off their postseason run on Sunday, they are looking to compete on the road to the MEC Tournament. The Cardinals last made the tournament in the 2022 season, earning the #4 seed from the MEC South. They would take on #1 Frosrburg State in the Quarterfinal round and their postseason run came to an end with a 4-0 loss. As they enter this year's Quarterfinal game, the Cardinals are looking to go deeper than their first MEC Tournament run. They will have a tough task, battling a Charleston team that sits fourth in the conference in goals scored and has allowed the fourth fewest goals in the conference this season. Wheeling will look to be the underdog that goes all the way to the championships.

The Matchup

The Cardinals and Golden Eagles are meeting for the 31^st time in program history on Sunday, and the first time in postseason play. Charleston leads the all-time series at 18-10-2, and holds the advantage on their home field, going 11-7 in Charleston. Wheeling will be looking to break an 11-game losing streak against the Golden Eagles, dating back to the 2015 season, when they finished in a 0-0 tie.

The last time the Cardinals and Golden Eagles met was on October 13^th, 2024, when the Cardinals fell 9-1. The Cardinal's lone score of the day came from Talynn DeBartolo, who got on the board in the game's 77^th minute. Theresa Markwei and Nyah Smith would each take shots on the day to round out the offense. Olivia Kqira would make five saves on seven shots on the night and Sam Faulkner would add two saves on the day.

The Details

Kick-off for Sunday night's game is scheduled for 7 PM inside  the Wlech Athletic Complex on the campus of The University of Charleston. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.