Wheeling, W. Va. - The Wheeling University Homecoming & Family weekend rolled on Friday night as Mountain East Conference (MEC) play began for the Wheeling University Volleyball team (7-7, 0-1). They hosted West Virginia State inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center and, after a hot start, would fall to the Yellow Jackets in five sets. After forcing a fifth set, the Cardinals were unable to close it out and dropped to 0-1 to start their conference schedule.
The night started out strong for the Cardinals after the two teams traded the first four points of the set. A service error put the ball back in the Cardinals hands and Samantha Comer would knock down a kill to send Wheeling on a run. They would score five straight points and the Cardinals built a 6-2 lead. However, West Virginia State would slowly battle back into the set and tied things up at 11-11 midway through the set. Katie Wilking would pick up a kill that started another Cardinal run, this time a 6-1 run that pushed their lead to 17-12. Mady Winters had three kills during the run as she began a big day. The Yellow Jackets once again battled back, making it 22-21, but a service error gave Wheeling the ball. Bella DeBarr would pick up a service ace and Winters knocked down her seventh kill of the set as the Cardinals picked up a 25-21 set one win.
The second set of the day featured a back and forth battle between the two teams, with Wheeling holding a slight 12-10 advantage midway through the set. However, West Virginia State would get a kill from Valencia Wilder and it sent them off on a 7-0 run that opened their advantage to 17-12. The lead would be too much for the Cardinals to overcome as they fell 25-16 and evened the match at one set win apiece. The Yellow Jackets continued their momentum into the fourth set, taking a 9-3 lead through the first 12 points of the set. It would be a back and forth set all the way to the end as Wheeling made it a 23-22 game. Hannah Steele would set up set point on a kill by Hannah Steele and Winters knocked down a kill to keep the Cardinals alive. West Virginia State would end the set on a kill and the Yellow Jackets won 25-23 and took a 2-1 lead in the match.
With the Cardinals on the ropes, West Virginia State would try to put it away, going on a 6-2 run to start the set. A service ace would open the door for the Cardinals as they continued to battle back in the set. It was tied 12-12 midway through the set before Wheeling went on a 4-1 run to open their lead. Riley Kindall recorded three of the four kills on the run and Wheeling was out to a 15-12 lead. That three point Cardinal lead would stand until the score sat at 22-19 in favor of the Cardinals. An attack error by the Yellow Jackets gave Wheeling the ball back and Karly Niesen set up set point at 24-19. Cami Black would knock down a kill and the Cardinals forced the fifth and decisive set.
West Virginia State would start the fifth set strong, scoring four of the first five points before Kindall got the Cardinals on track with a kill. They battled back to tie the set at 5-5 and then pushed themselves to a 7-5 lead. However, West Virginia State would hit a run, started by a Maureen Matthews kill, scoring seven of the next eight points to make it a 12-8 set. A servie error momentarily broke the run, but West Virginia State set up match point at 14-10. Winters would keep the Cardinals alive with a kill, but Maureen Matthews finished it out with a kill as West Virginia State won 15-11 and took the match 3-2.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was senior Riley Kindall, who finished with 23 kills on 67 total attacks for a .239 hitting percentage. She finished with a double-double for the fifth straight match, finishing second on the team with 13 digs. The other Cardinal to reach double digit kills was Mady Winters, who finished with 12 kills and needs just four kills to reach 1,000 career kills. Karly Niesen led the way with 48 assists and Chylyn Pate would lead the defensive effort with 14 digs. Samantha Comer and Cami Black each picked up double digit kills, finishing with 10 each to round out the day.
The Wheeling University Volleyball team returns to action on Tuesday, October 1st, when they host Fairmont State at 7 PM.
