Shepherdstown, W. Va. – After winning each of their first two games of the season, the Wheeling University Women's Lacrosse team (2-1, 0-0) would take their first loss of the season on Saturday. They traveled to take on Shepherd University and would drop a 16-8 contest for their first loss of 2025. The Cardinals would score two goals in each quarter throughout the night, but couldn't keep up with a high-powered Shepherd attack.

The Wheeling offense would go on attack early, with freshman Macy Davies sending the first shot of the day off the bar at the 12:36 mark. However, it would be Shepherd that would take the first two blows as they built a 2-0 lead with 6:47 to go in the quarter. The Cardinals had gotten two shots off to that point, and were sparked by a caused turnover from Trinity Rose. Rose would shuffle the ball to the offense to complete the clear attempt, and Paige Jankowski did the rest. She took the ball to goal and made it a 2-1 game. The Ram offense would keep coming, adding two more goals in the quarter, and it wasn't until the final minute that Wheeling was on the board again. This time, it would be Rose during it herself, after a Maisy Latus save. The Cardinals cleared the ball and Rose found the back of the net to make it 4-2 at the end of the first.

Shepherd would once again answer with the fists goal of the second quarter from Holly Poe and it would turn to a 5-2 affair. As the clock ticked towards 12 minutes to go in the half, a Shepherd Penalty would set Wheeling up with a free position. Klara Domachowska would take the free position shot, and found the back of the net to get it back to a two-point game at 5-3. Latus would do her part to keep the Cardinals in the game, making two big saves over the next two minutes and the Wheeling offense would reward her. A Shepherd foul would set Wheeling up on offense again and Jankowski would find Rose in front of the net. Rose answered with her second goal of the day and the Cardinals cut the lead to 5-4. Shepherd would add one more before the halftime break and led 6-4.

After the break, there was a flurry of offense with the Ram's Kelsey King making it 7-4 just 33 seconds into the new half. The Cardinals were able to answer three minutes later after a shot by Rose went wide. Sophia Cirone would reset the offense and connected with Rose again in front of the net. Rose would convert on her third goal of the night and the Cardinals were within two again at 7-5. Unfortunately, that was as close as the Cardinals got as two more Rams goals over the next three minutes made it a 9-5 game. The Cardinals would continue to battle with six and a half to go in the order as they were set up with another free position. Jankowski would concert this one and the Cardinals made it a 9-6 game. Shepherd added another goal before the quarter was done and the Cardinals went into the fourth quarter trailing 10-6.

The Rams offense would finish the game strong, adding eight goals over the final 15 minutes, including four straight to start the quarter. The Cardinals would continue their consistent offensive attack, scoring two goals in each quarter , and that continued into the final quarter. With the score sitting at 14-6 the Cardinals took advantage of a Ram yellow card as Davies set the offense. She would find Rose for what would be her fourth goal of the day and the Cardinals made it a 14-7 game. The final Wheeling goal came in the final seconds of play as Jankowski completed a successful clear. She would hit Cirone with 26 seconds to go, and the Cardinals scored to bring the game to its final score of 16-8.

Leading the way for the Cardinals for the second straight match was Trinity Rose, who finished with three goals, one assist, and four points to lead the way. It is the third straight game that Rose has had atleast three goals to start the season as she has been a big part of the Cardinal success. The other multi-goal scorer for the Cardinals was Paige Jankowski, who finished with two goals and a team-high two assists. The other three Cardinal goals came courtesy of Macy Davies, Sophia Cirone, and Klara Domachowska to round out the day. Maisy Latus would get the start in net, and made 18 saves on 34 shots faced on the day. Rose would also lead the defensive effort with six caused turnovers and four ground balls on the day.

The Wheeling University Women's Lacrosse team returns to action on Friday, March 14^th, when they host Rockhurst with opening face-off at 11 AM.