Wheeling, W. Va. – After opening the season in Pensacola, Florida, the Wheeling University Volleyball team's (0-4, 0-0) non-conference tournament schedule takes them to Allendale, Michigan. The Cardinals will compete at the two-day Grand Valley State Invitational, kicking off Friday, September 12th, at Grand Valley State University. The Cardinals will compete in three matches over the two days of competition, with their third match against a ranked opponent this season.
The 2025 season opened for the Cardinals at the Grand Valley State Invitational, where the team played four matches over a three-day stretch. The young Cardinal team would kick things off against Northern Michigan, and got some momentum by taking the first set. They would reach the 20-point mark in three of the four sets, but would fall to the Wildcats 3-1. As they headed to day two, the Cardinals would see their first ranked opponent, taking on The University of West Florida who received votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason poll. The Cardinals would drop the match 3-0, but had a chance to bounce back in the nightcap against Spring Hill College. Wheeling would put together their best match of the weekend, taking the first two sets, but would end up dropping the final three to fall 3-2. The weekend concluded with the Cardinal's second ranked opponent in #15 Southwest Minnesota State, but the Cardinals fell 3-0 to end the weekend.
After graduating 10 seniors in the spring, the Cardinals were looking for some of their young players to step up and junior Cami Black did just that. Black would lead the team knocking down 47 kills on 134 total attacks for a .172 hitting percentage, while averaging 3.13 kill/set. Black started the tournament off strong, setting a new career-high with 15 kills in the opener against Northern Michigan in what was her most efficient game, posting a .400 hitting percentage. It was the first of two 15-kill efforts, and the first of three double-digit kill efforts for the junior as she led the front line. Black would also collect her first double-double of the season in the five-set match against Spring Hill, where she finished with 15 kills and 12 digs in the 3-2 match with Spring Hill College. Black looks to continue being a leader for the Cardinal offense as they continue through their tournament schedule.
On the defensive side of the ball, a new star emerged for the Cardinals with freshman Megan Platt leading the backline effort. Platt would pace the Cardinals on the weekend with 47 digs while averaging 3.36 digs/set. In her Cardinal debut, Platt would pick-up a weekend high 17 digs, and finished with double digit digs in three of the four matches. Wheeling's offense would also have two new leaders emerge with sophomore Faith Keifer and freshman Lexi Duplessis hadnling the setter duties. Keifer would lead the duo, finishing with 69 assists and four service aces, leading the Cardinals in both categories. Keifer was the Cardinal's leader in service aces a season ago, and looks to continue that success in 2025. Duplessis finished right behind her with 52 assists in her first collegiate tournament and both will look to be offensive leaders throughout the season.
As the Cardinals continue through their non-conference tournament schedule, they will face their second straight weekend where they will see ranked opponents. Wheeling will face #13 Grand Valley State in the middle match of the weekend, sandwiched between contests against Hillsdale College on Friday and Tiffin on Saturday. After getting their first taste of college action for several Cardinal players, the group looks to continue to grow on the court. Wheeling will start the weekend with two matches on Friday, one in the morning and one in the evening, before wrapping up their tournament schedule on Saturday. It is the Cardinal's final away tournament before they return to the Alma Grace McDonough Center next weekend, and the team is looking to build momentum before taking their home court.
The Matchups
Hillsdale College: The Cardinals and Chargers are meeting for the ninth time in program history, with Hillsdale leading the all-time series at 5-3. The two teams are facing off for the first time since the 2012 season, with the two teams having split each of their last four meetings. The teams have been highly competitive in the all-time match-up, with four of their eight meetings going to at least four sets. Their last meeting came on September 8th, 2012, in a match Wheeling would win 3-2. Former Cardinal Allissa Ware led the offense with 20 kills, while former Cardinal Makenzie Ripley led the defensive effort with 23 digs.
#13 Grand Valley State: The Cardinals and Lakers are meeting for the 10th time in program history, with Grand Valley State leading the all-time match-up at 6-3. Grand Valley State has won six of the previous seven meetings between the two teams, with Friday marking just their second meeting since the 2007 season. The two teams last met on September 8th, 2017, with the Cardinals taking down Grand Valley State 3-1 in four sets. Former Cardinal Cassie Meyer led the offensive effort with 20 kills, while former Cardinal Stephanie Sylvester finished with 44 assists. Former Cardinal Audrey Francis led the defensive side, finishign with 20 digs.
Tiffin: The Cardinals and Dragons are meeting for the seventh time in program history, with Wheeling leading the all-time series at 5-1. After meeting four times between the 2007-2009 seasons, Saturday will be just the third meeting between the two teams since the 2017 campaign. Since then, each of the two previous meetings between the two teams have gone to four sets, with both teams taking a match, and they look to continue that competitive trend. Their last meeting came on September 17th, 2022, in a match the Cardinals would win 3-1. Former Cardinal Tylah Yeomans would lead the offense with 17 kills while former Cardinal Karly Niesen added 44 assists. Former Cardinal Chylyn Pate would lead the defensive effort, finishing with 20 digs to round out the day.
The Details
The Grand Valley State Invitational kicks off for the Wheeling Volleyball team on Friday, September 12th, when they take on Hillsdale College at 10 AM. You can watch the match live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
