Wheeling, W. Va. – After taking time for the Easter break, it is back to Bishop Schmitt Field for the Wheeling University Men's Lacrosse team (3-6, 1-3). They continue their Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC) schedule as they welcome in the 2023 GMAC Champions Mercyhurst with the opening face-off at 4 PM. Wheeling looks to start April strong as they head towards the GMAC Tournament at the end of the month.

Last time out, Wheeling would get that crucial first conference win of the season as they hosted Thomas More back on March 23rd. It was another big day for the Cardinal's offense as they tied their season high with 20 goals in what was a 20-3 win. Most of the Cardinal's damage came early and often as they scored 14 of their 20 goals during the first half of the game. Wheeling continued their ability to score first in games, tallying the first goal for the eighth time in the first nine games of the season at the 11:46 mark of the first quarter They would score 13 of the next 14 goals as they built their lead and headed into halftime with a 14-1 advantage. The scoring continues into the second half, as they scored three unanswered in the third and by the time Thomas More got back on the board it was a 16-1 Cardinal lead. They went on to win by the final of 20-3.

It was Ty Taylor who got the scoring started for the Cardinals, and led them in the effort with five goals, two assists, and seven points on the night. He was not only the Cardinal's scoring leader, but their shot leader as well putting eight of his 10 shots on net during the day for an 80% shot on goal percentage. For Taylor, it was the seventh time in his nine games that he has recorded multiple assists and he enters play on Tuesday as the GMAC leader with 20 assists through nine games. Taylor is also approaching a milestone mark in his career, needing just two points to score the 100th point of his collegiate career. He has played a big role in the passing game for the Cardinals this season and looks to continue to be a threat to score throughout the season.

Along with all of the offense, the Cardinals saw two of their freshman check off firsts for their career late in the game. When Head Coach Gage Bradshaw went to his bench, they responded with Ryder McCall getting on the board late. After a face-off win for Domenico Cataldo, the Cardinals got the ball in their offensive zone. The ball was being battled for in front of the Saints net, and it was Ryder McCall who got his stick on it. He was able to take the shot just past the Saint's goalkeeper and McCall would score his first collegiate goal to make it 18-3. The final firsts came in the final seconds of the game as Mason Fisher stepped in net for the first time. With five seconds left on the clock, Fisher was able to get his stick up and deflected a shot that was ticketed for the top of the net for his first career save. It closes the book on the 20-3 win for the Cardinals as they closed off the day victorious.

As they start the month of April, the Cardinals will take advantage of their home field, with four of their final five coming at Bishop Schmitt Field. The Cardinals are 2-2 on their home field this season and have been led by an offense that is averaging 14 goals per game in their four home games. Two of those have been 20-goal efforts, with the lowest production being a six-goal effort against Seton Hill. The team currently sits at 3-6 on the year and needs just two wins in their final five games to match last season',s win total. The team has upped that win total every season since the program came back during the 202 campaign and they are looking to try and get their first .500 season since 2018. With an expanded GMAC playoff field, the Cardinals are looking to take advantage and get into the tournament over these final four weeks.

The Matchup

The Cardinals and Lakers are meeting for the 22nd time in program history on Tuesday, with Wheeling looking for their first ever win against the Lakers. It is the 10th meeting between the two teams at Bishop Schmitt Field, with the Cardinals going 0-9 in those previous meetings. Wheeling has averaged 5.6 goals per game in those previous 21 meetings and look to use the offense to their advantage in this matchup.

Last season, the Cardinals hosted the Lakers and would end up falling in a 21-6 matchup. The Cardinals were led by Mike Andersson, who finished with two goals, putting two of his three shots on goal. Four different Cardinals scored the other four goals on the night as Owen Doyle, Dakota Strong, Brenner Chase, and Jack Rowe all got on the score sheet.

The Details

Opening face-off for Tuesday's game is scheduled for 4 PM inside Bishop Schmitt Field. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.