Wheeling, W. Va. – On Thursday, the Wheeling University Men's Lacrosse team (5-7, 3-4) learned that they clinched their first Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC) Tournament berth since the 2018 season. On Sunday, they will get a chance to celebrate with their seniors in their second to last home game of the season as they host Virginia State University at 12 PM. Although it isn't their final home game of the 2024 season, they will be celebrating their seniors with a pregame senior day ceremony before the Cardinals take the field.
Last time out, the team battled Malone University in one of the highest scoring games in recent history for the Men's Lacrosse program. Early on, the Cardinals were able to take control, scoring in the first three and a half minutes of the contest. They went on to add the first four scores of the quarter and after one were staked to a 6-3 lead. However, as was the case throughout the night, every time Wheeling scored Malone had an answer as they came back with 10 seconds quarter goals. The Pioneers had a 13-11 lead heading into halftime as they looked to battle back in the second half. The score would be tied 20-20 with three minutes left and the Cardinals would have the ball. They converted what ended up being the game winning goal at the 2:20 mark, after their goalkeeper made two big saves with less than a minute to play as Wheeling went on to win 21-20.
It was a big day for sophomore midfielder Jack Rowe, who set a new career-high with six goals and eight points, while tacking on two assists in the effort. He was the one who got the scoring started at the 11:36 mark of the first quarter and he scored five of his six goals during that first half of play. While his scoring slowed in the second half, Rowe was essential on the Cardinal's ball movement, picking up a goal and an assist in the second half. The effort helped move him to third on the team in scoring this season with 32 points while he also sits second on the team with 28 goals this season. Rowe was efficient throughout the afternoon, putting 60% of his shots on net throughout the day while tying for the team lead with 10 shots taken. Rowe looks to continue to be an offensive weapon for the Cardinals throughout the rest of the season and into the postseason run.
On the defensive side, it was the work of goalkeeper Austin Hall that kept the Cardinals in the game. He faced a lot of shots throughout the afternoon, and did just enough to keep his team on the winning side. He would make 21 saves on the day while facing 41 shots, with his biggest save of the night coming in the game's final seconds. For their efforts, Rowe and Hall were both honored by the GMAC this past week as the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week. The Cardinals most efficient shooter of the day was senior Mike Andersson, who ended up putting 70% of his shots on net on the afternoon. The senior finished with four goals and one assist on the night to finish with five points. Andersson is just two goals away from the 150 career goal mark entering the weekend as he tries to become the first Cardinal since 2018 to hit the mark.
With their spot in the GMAC Tournament already locked up, the Cardinals are now playing for seeding in their final GMAC game of the year. But first, they will honor their group of seven seniors who helped take the program from nothing in 2020 to a thriving playoff caliber team in 2024. Mike Andersson, Justin Stewart, Wilson Perez-Vasquez, Jacob Knippel, Brody Fawver, and Dylan Mathias will be honored as part of the pregame ceremony celebrating their legacy of Cardinals. Between that group, the teams have three 100-point scorers, two All-GMAC honors, and seven players who have helped bring Wheeling Men's Lacrosse back to a championship caliber level. It will be their second to last home game of the season and they look to put on a strong performance in front of their fans.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Trojans are meeting for the first time in program history on Saturday in non-conference play. Through their 10 games played this season, West Virginia State sits at 1-9 overall as they play through their independent schedule. Their lone win of the season came against the University of The District of Columbia back on February 17th. The Cardinals look to open the series with a win as they welcome the Trojans to Bishop Schmitt Field.
The Details
Opening face-off for Sunday's game is scheduled for 12 PM, with senior day ceremonies beginning at 11:40 AM. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
