Wheeling, W. Va. – As they entered the 2025 season, Head Coach Ryan Wall challenged his team to compete every time they took the field. They would do just that throughout the year, holding opponents to just 1.67 goals/game and allowing more than two goals just three times during the season. It would come down to the final regular season game, but in the end the Cardinals would end up falling out of the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Tournament race, finishing 3-11-4 overall and 1-9-4 in conference play.
The season began with a back-to-back weekend that saw the Cardinals drop a pair of games to Florida Southern College and Lourdes University. Each team offered a different challenge and, as the Cardinals attacked their MEC schedule, they were ready for the challenge ahead. After dropping their opener to Point Park 2-0, they would secure their first conference win of the season in a 1-0 affair with West Liberty. It started a string of success for the Cardinals that saw them rack up seven points over their next four games. During the run, the Cardinals secured ties with the top two teams in the North Division and as they hit their MEC South schedule, they sat at 1-1-2 in MEC play. Their MEC South schedule provided more challenges, with the Cardinals picking up two more ties along the way. They held onto the #4 spot in the MEC North until the final game of the season, but unfortunately a 2-0 loss to West Liberty eliminated them from MEC Tournament play.
It was a season led by the defense, with the goalkeeping core leading the charge and limiting opponents throughout the season. It started with the work of Sam Faulkner in net, who appeared started four games for the Cardinals before injury and finished with an impressive 1.01 goals against average. She only allowed four of the 25 shots she faced to find the back of the net, but injury would close her season. Stepping in relief was Akyla Walcott, who held down the fort over her 11 games played, seven starts. The graduate student finished with a .705 save percentage. She helped lead the Cardinals to a 1-5-2 record on the season, making 43 saves while missing some time of her own due to injury. The final goalie to step in was Deetya Satyal, who stepped up in her own right finishing with an .800 save percentage while making 32 saves. Each of the three goalkeepers kept the team in games as they battled throughout the year.
On the offensive side, it was junior Graceylyn Hanna stepping up from the forward position as she led the Cardinals in shots and shots on goal. She set career-highs with 27 shots and 14 shots on goal, while putting 51.9% of the shots she took on net. She would also lead the Cardinals with four goals and 11 points, while sitting tied for second on the team with three assists on the season. Her biggest showing would come in the team's 10-0 win against Salem back on October 22nd. She finished with her first collegiate hat trick in the effort, scoring three goals and one assist to total seven points in the effort. Hanna would be a key contributor to the Cardinal's offensive success and looks to continue helping the team grow on that side of the ball.
The midfield effort was led by Ana Santos, who made her contributions both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Santos would finish with two goals and one assist on the season, totaling six points, while putting five shots on net. She finished with a .455 shot on goal percentage and was a key contributor in passing the ball up the field. Both of her goals came in the game against Salem back on September 24th, where she scored two of the team's three goals in the effort. The other Cardinal to step up during the year was Caryn Goins, who made the jump from the Cardinal's back line to the offense. She finished with her first career goal on the season, totaling two points to help the Cardinal's offense. She scored that goal in her first game on the offensive side of the ball, finding the back of the net in the team's second tie against Frostburg State.
The Wheeling University Women's Soccer team heads into the off-season as they look to continue their growth on the field.
