Wheeling, W. Va. - Since 2019, the Wheeling Women's Lacrosse Team has not taken the field until this year. With a brand new team and a brand new coach, the Cardinals were looking to make history. Head coach Faith Flanagan would find her first head coaching job with the Cardinals to help reinstate the team. Flanagan would lead the Cardinals to a 7-8 season and they would make an appearance in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) tournament for the first time since 2019.
The Cardinals would start their season on a high note at home by beating Allegany College 22-9. Junior Attacker Jovie Noack would beat the single game goal record with 10 goals and would be one point away from tying the single game point record. The Cardinals would then travel to Tiffin University where they would gain their second win of the season over the Dragons 17-14. They would continue on the road to Shepherd University where they would gain their first loss of the season 16-8. Senior Goalkeeper Maisy Latus would break her single game record in saves with 18 saves during the game. The Cardinals would continue their non-conference matchups with the final two being at home against Rockhurst University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). The Cardinals would have a tough loss against Rockhurst with the final score being 23-14. With less than a week to prepare, the Cardinals would battle IUP and fall 20-6 to make it a three game losing streak leading into conference play.
With their first conference game against West Virginia Wesleyan approaching, the Cardinals look to end their losing streak and gain their first conference win. The Cardinals would beat West Virginia Wesleyan 26-4, and Sophomore Midfielder Trinity Rose would have her season high of single game goals and points with eight goals and 9 points. The Cardinals would then host Davis and Elkins and out score the Senators 13-8. With a record of 5-3, 2-0 the Cardinals would welcome Frostburg State in hopes of continuing their winning streak. Unfortunately, the Cardinals would fall to the Bobcats 21-6 giving them their first in-conference loss. They then gear up and hit the road to take on the University of Charleston for their senior day. The Cardinals would fall short 17-10, making them 2-2 in conference play.
With conference half way through, the Cardinals are looking to maintain at least a 500 average. They go into their fifth game against Davis and Elkins again looking to gain a second win over them. The Cardinals come out victorious in Elkins, WV with a final score of 19-7. They will then head back to Bishop Schmitt Field for their senior day against West Virginia Wesleyan. The Cardinals would have a successful senior day with gaining their forth conference win against the Bobcats 23-4. Senior Goalkeeper Maisy Latus would gain her first ever collegiate goal and hat trick (three goals) during West Virginia Wesleyan while playing three quarters of the game on the attacking end. The Cardinals would end their regular season 4-4 after hosting and losing to Charleston 18-7 and traveling to Frostburg and losing 22-8.
The Cardinals would be ranked number three in the conference and start their tournament play by hosting #4 Davis and Elkins for and play-in game for the number four seed to play #1 Frostburg in the semifinals. It would be a tough battle between the Cardinals and Senators for the number four seed, but the Cardinals would come on top with an 11-8 win and their ticket punched to the semifinals since 2019. The Cardinals would travel to Frostburg to take on the Bobcats one last time in hopes of seeing the championship game. With unexpected weather delays during warm-ups and game play, the Cardinals would fall to the Bobcats 1-17 and end their first season back in over five years 7-8, 4-4.
With having a team of women that have never played together and a coach in her first year as a head coach, the Cardinals would make history in their first year back since 2019. They would beat an established record, gain five player of the week awards, four All-MEC honors, one All-Tournament honors, and coach of the year. Their first team All-MEC is Sophomore Midfielder Trinity Rose. Rose would end her season with 55 points (43 goals and 12 assists), 72 ground balls, 54 caused turnovers, and 88 draw control. Jovie Noack and Klara Domachowska would be named second team All-MEC. Junior Attacker Noack would acquire 37 points (31 goals and 6 assists), 15 ground balls, five caused turnovers, and one draw control, while Sophomore Attacker Domachowska also gained 37 points (24 goals and 14 assists), 27 ground balls, 10 caused turnovers, and 38 draw controls. Freshman Goalkeeper Giovanna Perkins was named on the freshman All-MEC team with a save percentage of 455. Lastly, Redshirt Senior Sophia Cirone was named on the MEC All-Tournament team for her outstanding leadership on the attacking end during the tournament. Cirone would acquire three goals over the two tournament games while having five of her six shots on goal.
The Cardinals end their season just below 500, but made a name for themselves in the MEC. As they prepare for the 2026 season, they will have at least nine new players join the team in the fall, and have the MEC championship in their horizon.
