Institute, W. Va. – The Wheeling University Women's Soccer team's (2-4-2, 1-2-2) Point streak came to an end on Wednesday night as they traveled to Institute, West Virginia. The Cardinals would take on the defending Mountain East Conference (MEC) Champions West Virginia State, and fell 4-0. After falling behind early, the defense made a stand over the final 45 minutes, but it was too little too late as the Cardinals fell to 1-2-2 in conference Play.

The Yellow Jackets came out firing early, taking two shots in the first five minutes of play. The Cardinal defense forced both off of net and turned the ball around. In the 6^th minute it would be Junior Gracelynn Hanna who took the first shot of the day, but hers would also go wide as the game stayed tied at 0-0. The 12th minute would see the first breakthrough of the game when West Virginia State's Sara Paris Filter Put the ball in the back of the net. It gave West Virginia state the 1-0 lead And they would just keep taking their shots. Their next attack came in the 17^th minute as they fired shots on back-to-back possessions, but Wheeling goalkeeper Akyla Walcott denied them on both opportunities with her first two saves of the day. The Cardinals made some adjustments in personnel, pulling in subs off their bench, but in the 21st minute West Virginia state would add on to their lead.

Laura Poudreas would bring the ball up the field for the Yellow Jackets and sent a crosser in front of the net. It would be picked up by Paris Filter, who tapped it over to Leila Karam for the score. Wheeling found themselves behind 2-0 and would rely on their defense to stiffen up the rest of the way. The defense would do just that as West Virginia State took five more shots over the next 20 minutes with all five of those missing. The Cardinal defense continues to force bad passes and included a blocked shot during the run to keep it at a two-goal game. However, with just 3 minutes before the halftime break, the yellow jackets were able to add on to their lead. It came in the 42^nd minute as Ece Lea Evin controlled the ball. She would dump it off to Karam, who was able to find the back of the net to make it a 3-0 score. That would be the mark as the Cardinals went into halftime as they tried to get back on track in the second half.

Wheeling was outshot 13-1 over the first 45 minutes of play and didn't put a single shot on net. As the teams came out for the second half, it was more of the same with West Virginia state controlling time of possession. They took the first three shots over the first 15-minute stretch, with Walcott  making her third Save of the night in the 53^rd minute. However, it would be the final one of those three shots that hit the back of the net as Lea Evin took the ball herself and gave the Yellow Jackets a 4-0 lead. While it was a devastating blow on the scoreboard, the Cardinals were not prepared to give up and went on the attack in the 65^th minute. After a change in personnel, Hanna brought the ball up the field As she came soaring down the sidelines. She would try to sneak a shot through the goal but West Virginia State's Poppy Bastock would be there to make the save.

After allowing 13 shots by West Virginia state in the first half, the Cardinal defense would limit them to just eight over the final 45 minutes. Of those eight shots, only three would land on net as the back line continued to communicate throughout the night. Walcott's final save of the Day would come in the 80th minute After Wheeling's Amelia Kassam sent a shot off net at the other end. West Virginia state moved the ball quickly up field and Lea Evin was looking for her second goal of the night. Walcott would end up making the save and keeping the deficit where it was at 4-0. The Cardinals would Mount one more offensive attack in the 82^nd minute after gaining possession thanks to a West Virginia State foul. Jeannery Diaz would take the free kick and sent it just over the crossbar to end the night. The Yellow Jackets would have one more offensive push of their own, setting up for a corner kick on the following possession. They would take back-to-back shots but both missed the mark and West Virginia State went on to win by the final score of 4-0.

 Leading the way for the Cardinals was Graceylyn Hanna, who finished with two shots, putting one of those on net. Hanna has stepped up on offense over the last two games and continues to push the ball up field for Wheeling. The other Cardinal shots came courtesy of Jeannery Diaz and Amelia Kassam, who each took a shot on the night. Akyla Walcott got the start in net and made three saves on seven shots faced on the night. The loss ended the Cardinals Point streak as they look to bounce back on Homecoming weekend.

The Wheeling University Women's Soccer Team returns to action on Sunday, October 6^th, when they take on Davis & Elkins in their Homecoming game, With kickoff at 2 PM