Wheeling, W. Va. - With just two and a half weeks remaining in the season, the Wheeling University Women's Soccer team (3-8-4, 1-6-4) began their final stretch of Mountain East Conference (MEC) North Division play. The Cardinals hit the road to face Fairmont State and, after holding the Falcons to one first half goal, the flood gates opened in the second half as they fell 4-0. Wheeling's magic number holds at two as they continue their battle to clinch a spot in the MEC Tournament.

Right from the start of the game the Cardinals were put to the test as the Falcons controlled time of possession. They would take their first shot in the 5^th minute, and Deetya Satyal was there to make the save. She would follow with another save in the 10^th minute, but Fairmont State's offense would break through in the 13^th minute. Montserrant Diaz would bring the ball up the field and she sent the pass to Valentina Giannetto. She would complete the play by finding the top corner of the net to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead. On the ensuing possession, the Cardinals would go on the attack as Maira Alevato brought the ball up the field. She tried to tie it up with Wheeling's first shot of the day, but Fairmont State's Olivia Johnston was there to make the save. It was the only shot for the Cardinals in the first half, and they would drop back on defense for the remaining 31 minutes of the half.

Following the Cardinals offensive attack, Fairmont State would keep things going, firing three shots on net. Satyal would make two of the three saves the other being registered by the team as her defense helped her by getting in front of the net. Over the first 16 minutes of play, the Falcons would put six of their first eight shots on net, but the Wheeling defense stiffened and forced bad shots the rest of the way. Of their final 10 shots of the first half only three of those went on net as the Cardinal back line stepped up. Wheeling's second shot of the day would come in the 35^th minute as freshman Jeannery Diaz brought the ball up field. She would take her shot towards the Top of the net but sailed it over the crossbar to keep it a 1-0 game.  In the final minute of the half, Fairmont State would threaten but sent the ball sailing over the left corner of the net to end the half. Wheeling entered half time trailing 1-0 as they looked to get that goal back in the second half.

Wheeling held Fairmont State to a 50% shot on goal percentage in the first half, and would build on that success as they moved into the second half. Wheeling would allow 13 Falcon shots over the second half, with seven of those landing on net. After the ball bounced around the midfield over the first 6 minutes in the new half, Fairmont State would get the ball on the foot of Serenity Thomas. She would work her way around a few Cardinal defenders and found the back of the net to extend Fairmont State's lead to 2-0. After conceding her second goal of the day, Satyal would get back to work over the next 20 minutes, adding three more saves to her docket. That included a stretch of two saves Over a 3-minute period  as she kept the Cardinals within two goals of the Falcons. In the 72nd minute Wheeling made a switch in net with Akyla Walcott coming in to relieve Satyal.

She would get a tough draw to start the day, facing her first shot in the 77^th minute off a corner kick opportunity. Dayra Dinarte would take the corner kick for the Falcons and sent the ball into a crowd of players. It would bounce off the foot of Ashley Harding and the head of Payton Parliament as it found the back of the net. Her next shot face would come just 20 seconds later as a file on Alaitz Irasuegui Urutxurtu would set Fairmont State up With a penalty kick opportunity. It would be Harding taking the Kick and she sent it into the back of the net to push Fairmont State's lead to 4-0. After taking two shots over the first 45 minutes, the Cardinals would not take a shot for the rest of the game as Fairmont State controlled time of possession. Walcott would get her first save in the 85th minute as Fairmont State's Diaz tried to sneak a ball by her. Walcott would be there to make the save and kept it a 4-0 game. Fairmont State would take Three more shots in the final 5 minutes with all those landing off net. It would bring the game to its final score of 4-0 as the Cardinals dropped to 1-6-4 in MEC play.

Leading the way for the Cardinals was Deetya Satyal, who put together another big performance in net. She would make 10 saves on 12 shots faced, reaching the double digit save mark for the second time this season. Akyla Walcott would come on in relief, and added one more save on the three shots she faced. On the offensive end, Maira Alevato would put the only shot on net for the Cardinals, while Jeannery Diaz took the final shot of the day. The loss keeps Wheeling's magic number at two and gives them a chance to clinch their playoff spot on Wednesday night in Frostburg, Maryland.

The Wheeling University Women's Soccer team returns to action on Wednesday, October 29^th when they take on Frostburg State with kickoff at 7:30 PM.