Wheeling, W. Va. – As they enter the final two week stretch of the season, the focus for the Wheeling University Men's Soccer team (1-12-1, 0-10-1) flips to getting better for 2026. They kick-off that stretch on Wednesday when they travel to Frostburg State with kick-off scheduled for 5 PM. Wheeling looks to reek havoc on the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Tournament field as their young guys continue their growth on the field.
Wheeling had an off day on Sunday, and last took the field last Wednesday when they hosted Davis & Elkins. For the second straight game, it was the Cardinals that came out fast, scoring in the 13th minute to take a 1-0 advantage. However, the Senators had a strong attack for the final 30 minutes of the half, and snuck in their first goal in the 25th minute. Wheeling was outshot 8-2 in the first 45 minutes of play, but the Senators would put six of those eight shots on net as the teams headed into halftime with the score tied at 1-1. The Senators would continue their potent attack into the second half, and notched their second goal of the day in the 52nd minute to take a 2-1 lead. The Cardinals were outshot 6-1 over the final 45 minutes, putting that lone shot on net, but it wasn't enough as Wheeling fell 2-1.
Despite conceding the two goals in net, Diego Marquez continued his strong performance in 2025. He made seven saves on nine shots faced, finishing with a .778 save percentage, and was able to make five of those seven saves in the first half. It was a continuation of what has already been a strong season for the freshman, who holds a .709 save percentage across nine games, eight starts, this season. He ranks sixth among eligible goalkeepers with a .709 save percentage and also holds the sixth ranking in Goals Against Average at 1.48. Marquez has been a welcome addition to the defense during the 2025 season, and will be relied on to continue playing solid in net as the Cardinals play their final three games.
For the second game in a row, the Cardinals were able to get on the board first, thanks to the combination of Andoni Pipaon, Pablo Prieto, and Alex Yesufu. The score came in the 13th minute of the game, when Pipaon lined up for a free kick from about 40 yards out and sent it to the outside of the net. Prieto was able to head the ball back to the middle, and Yesufu would get it into the top right corner of the net to give Wheeling a 1-0 lead. It was Yesufu's second goal of the season, giving him a new single-season career high and tying him for the team lead with Prieto. While captaining the defense this season, Prieto has also been the Cardinal's offensive leader with five points this season, two goals and one assist. Pipaon would round out the threesome with his team-leading third assist of the season as he leads the midfield.
With three games left on the regular season schedule, Wheeling will be wrapping up the road portion of that stretch on Wednesday. They hit the road to face a Frostburg State team that is holding on to the #5 seed in the conference, and holds just a four-point lead over West Liberty from dropping to #6. With the Cardinals already eliminated from tournament play, they are looking to continue to impact the conference standings, and effect first round match-ups in the MEC Tournament. Two of their final three opponents are fighting for the last two spots in the tournament, with Frostburg holding #5 and West Liberty holding #6. If the Cardinals can hit their stride down the stretch, they have a chance to knock both teams down a peg and put their stamp on the MEC Tournament field.
The Match-up
The Cardinals and Bobcats are meeting up for the 13th time in program history, with Frostburg State leading the all-time series at 9-3. When they travel to Frostburg State, the Cardinals are 1-5 compared to a 2-4 mark when they host the Bobcats. Wheeling is looking to break a five-game losing streak at the hands of the Bobcats, and hold a scoring average of 0.92 in the first 12 meetings of the series. Wheeling will be looking to even the 2025 season series, and pick up their first win against the Bobcats since the 2022 season.
Their first meeting of the season came back on October 1st in a game that Frostburg State would win 3-1. The Cardinals would be led by Alex Yesufu, who got the team on the board early with a goal on his only shot of the day. Andoni Oynesa would add an assist to round out the scoresheet, while Elie Simon was Wheeling's top shot taker, putting one of his four shots on net. Daniel Delo would get the start in net, and made three saves on six shots faced on the defensive side.
The Details
Kick-off for Wednesday night's game is scheduled for 5 PM inside Bobcat Stadium on the campus of Frostburg State University. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
