Canton, OH. – The Wheeling University Women's Soccer team (0-2, 0-0) played their final non-conference tune-up on Wednesday night as they made the trip to Canton, Ohio to take on Malone. The Cardinals trailed by one throughout the first half, but it was a flurry of second half goals that would sink them as they fell 3-1. It was an even match throughout the night, with Malone outshooting the Cardinals 11-7, but the late strike was too much for the Cardinals to overcome.
With Wheeling down 1-0 at halftime, Wheeling was looking for their opportunity to strike in the second half. They possessed the ball for the majority of the first 10 minutes, but a foul in the 55th minute would give Malone the ball. They quickly moved up the field off the free kick. The Pioneer's Brynn Mowrer would take a pass from Alyssa Schofield and found the back of the net to give Malone a 2-0 lead. Wheeling would respond with a shot on goal by Lily Hanna, and in the next possession Olivia Kqira would make a save to keep it a 2-0 game. Just a minute later, Wheeling would respond as they were set up with a free kick in the 67th minute. It would be taken by Hanna, who dumped the ball five yards to Mary DiFonzo. DiFonzo would do the rest, booting the ball from 15 yards out and sailed it over the goalkeeper's head to make it a 2-1 game.
Over the final 23 minutes of play, both defenses played strong with the ball changing hands several times. It remained a 2-1 score into the game's 84th minute when Mowrer tried to get on the board again for Malone. Kqira would dive in front of the shot to make the save and keep it a one goal game. As Wheeling moved the ball back up the field, Hanna tried to set herself up for the game tying shot but ended up missing high. The Pioneers came back on offense with just under two minutes to play. They set up for a corner kick and sent the ball flying towards the middle of the net. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, Reagan McCourt was there waiting and sent the ball into the back of the net to extend Malone's lead to 3-1. In the final minute, Hanna sent one more shot on the offensive end, but it ended up sailing wide and the Cardinals fell 3-1.
After scoring her first career goal in the opener, Lily Hanna would lead the way for the Cardinals in game two, taking five shots, putting one on net, while also picking up her first collegiate assist. Hanna accounted for five of her team's seven shots on the night and has cemented herself as a big part of the Cardinal offense early on. The lone Cardinal goal on the night came courtesy of Mary DiFonzo, who floated her second goal of the season on her only shot of the night. Mikayla Young would take the final shot for Wheeling, putting her only shot of the night on net. Olivia Kqira once again got the start in net for the Cardinals, making five saves on eight shots faced in the effort.
In the early portion of the game, both teams were feeling each other out before Malone would get the early advantage. After setting up for a corner kick in the fifth minute, Morgan Ross would find the back of the net for the Pioneers on a header, giving Malone a 1-0 lead. They went right back on the attack two minutes later, but this time Kqira was able to make the save to keep it a 1-0 game. Wheeling would take their first shot in the 16th minute as Mikayla Young tried to get the ball in on a corner kick, but Malone's Aelia Henderhan made the save. The Cardinals would be out shot 6-3 in the first 45 minutes of play, but Kqira and the defense would keep it a one goal game. After allowing the early goal, Kqira would save the next three shots on net she faced as the teams headed into the locker room with Malone leading 1-0. The Cardinals tried to battle back, but the late Pioneer surge was enough to seal the game.
The Wheeling University Women's Soccer team returns to action on Sunday, September 15th, when they play their home opener against Point Park with kick-off at 1 PM.
