Pittsburgh, PA. - After falling to Point Park 4-1 at home earlier in the year, the Wheeling University Men's Soccer team (1-11-1, 0-10-1) headed to the Steel City on Sunday looking to avenge that loss. They got on the board in the game's opening minute, but that goal would not stand over the final 89 as the Cardinals fell to Point Park 2-1. The team would take double digit shots for the seventh time this season, but were only able to land three of those on net as they rounded out the effort. 

After the Pioneers took an early penalty, the Cardinals would move the ball up field, and got it on the foot of Ruesca Martinez. He was able to swerve his way around the Pioneer defense, and found the back of the net to give the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead. Wheeling would control possession throughout the early portion of the game, putting off four of the game's first five shots over 20 minutes of play. Moain Nacif and Elie Simon would each send shots off net in the first 10 minutes, and Point Park's Guilherme Galvao would send the Pioneer's first shot of the game off net in the 11th minute. As the 20-minute mark ticked by, Simon would come back up and tried to put the ball right between the woodwork. However, Point Park's Gregorio Capponi would make the save and the Cardinal lead stood at 1-0. 

Diego Marquez would get the start in net for the Cardinals and was tested for the first time in the 24th minute. Point Park's Lorenzo Grispello would try and sail the ball over his head, but Marquez would leap up and preserve the team's 1-0 advantage. After going on the attack early, Wheeling did not get off another shot over the next 19 minutes, and Point Park took advantage. After another save by Marquez in the 33rd minute, Point Park would get on the board as Fridolin Gefroer sent a pass to Grispello that found the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1. Wheeling would get off one more shot on net before the halftime break, as Aiden Morales brought the ball up the field in the 40th minute. He tries to send it to the middle of the net,  but was denied by Capponi as the teams went into the locker room with the score sitting at 1-1. 

Like they did in the first half, the Cardinals would come out strong again in the second half, with Simon taking their first shot in the 46th minute. However, the shot would go off the mark, and it was Marquez's turn to face the attack. He would make back-to-back saves in the 53rd and 54th minutes, but the third shot on goal would be the back breaker. Eduard Gagnon would get the ball past the Cardinal keeper in the 57th minute and the Pioneers had their first lead of the day at 2-1. The Cardinals would get one more shot off over the first 20 minutes of the new half, with Aiden Morales sending one wide of the net, and the Cardinals trailed 2-1 with 25 minutes to play. 

Point Park tried to extend their lead twice over that 25 minute period, but both times Marquez was there to make the save. The first attack came in the 71st minute from Joao Weber, and he came back two minutes later in the 73rd minute and Marquez made both saves to keep it a one-goal game. Point Park would get two more shots, both of which going off net, and the Cardinals would try and mount one more comeback of their own. Both of the Cardinal's final shots would come in the last minute as Davin Starkie would close out the day. Starkie's first shot would miss left and his second shot missed right to round out the day. The Cardinals would fall 2-1 as the final horn rang, with the defense falling just short in the effort. 

Leading the way for the Cardinals was Ruesca Martinez, who scored the game's opening goal just 48 seconds into the action. It was Martinez's first career goal as he sparked the Cardinal offense early in the effort. Defensively, Diego Marquez would get the start in net and made six saves on eight shots faced to lead the defense. Elie Simon would be the Cardinal's leading shot taker, taking three and putting one on net, while Davin Starkie and Aiden Morales each took two shots, with Morales putting one on net. 

The Wheeling University Men's Soccer team returns to action on Wednesday, October 22nd, when they host Davis & Elkins with kick-off at 7 PM.