Wheeling, W. Va. – Mountain East Conference (MEC) Men's Soccer action came to Bishop Schmitt Field for the first time in 2025 on Sunday. The Wheeling Men's Soccer team played host to Point Park on Sunday and, despite a second half goal, Wheeling fell to the Pioneers 4-1. The defense held strong early on, but couldn't keep up with the Pioneer's offensive attack.

Both teams were fighting for possession early, with only one shot taken in the first 10 minutes of play. However, the Pioneers pushed forward in the 15^th minute and sent the first shot on net. Daniel Delo was there to make the save and kept it at 0-0 early on. It was the first of two saves in 5 minutes for the sophomore before Wheeling mounted their first offensive push. It came in the 21^st minute following a yellow card on the Pioneers. Wheeling was set up for a free kick and Pablo Prieto leaped up and headed the ball towards the net. Point Park's Gregorio Capponi was there to make the save and the stalemate continued. Eight minutes later that ty would be broken when the Pioneers got on the board courtesy of a goal from Fridolin Gefrorer. Point Park would fire another shot following the kickoff, but it went wide as Point Park was staked to a 1-0 lead with 18 minutes left before the half.

As the half went on, Point Park continued to push and in the 32^nd minute. Had a chance at back-to-back corner kicks. The second of those corner kicks would find the net when Tom-lennard Doing took the ball off his right foot and into the net. Gave Point Park a 2-0 lead and the Cardinals would try to get their offense going before the break. Jon-Michael Gordon got a goal scoring chance in the 36^th minute but sent his shot wide left as Point Park held on to their Two goal lead. As the half went winding down, Wheeling's defense continued to step up. After a pair of yellow cards gave Point Park an attacking opportunity. The Pioneers would take two shots over the final five minutes with both of those shots being off target. Wheeling's back line defended a corner kick following the first yellow card and pressured the ball carrier on the final shot before the half. As the team broke for the locker room, Wheeling was trailing 2-0 and was looking to find a way to create more offense.

Wheeling made a change in goalkeeper in the second half as Diego Marquez took over and continued his momentum from the game against Charleston on Wednesday. He would face his first shot on goal just a minute into the new half and made the save to start his day strong. In the 53^rd minute, the Cardinals put together their biggest offensive push of the day starting with a free kick from Hallvard Falch that nearly sailed over the goalkeeper's head. However, the save was made but the Cardinal offense was right back at it. This time, it was Antonio Herra-Blackwood who tried to sneak a ball in the lower right corner of the net and he was also denied to keep the score at 2-0. Jon-Michael Gordon would put the Cardinals third shot on goal of the half but he was also denied keeping the deficit at two. It wasn't until the 70th minute that the next goal was scored as Point Park added an insurance goal to make it a 3-0 game.

A foul on Point Park's Doing In the 73^rd minute would get Wheeling another scoring opportunity. Elie Simon would take the free kick from the 20 yard line at Bishop Schmitt Field and angle around the defense and into the top right corner of the net Ffor the Cardinals first goal of the day. It was the first career goal for Simon and helped cut the deficit to 3-1 with 17 minutes remaining. Following the goal, Point Park nearly got it back with a one-on-one opportunity coming back down the field. Marquez was able to flatten himself out to make the save and keep things sitting at 3-1. It would be Point Park that got the final tally of the day in the 85^th minute when  Ido Chalamish took a pass on the corner on the net. It was the fourth pioneer goal of the day and put the game Out of reach for the Cardinals. Willing would make one more push in the final five minutes with both Henri Falcon and Andoni Pipan putting shots on net. Both would end up being saved and Wheeling would fall by the final score of 4-1.

 Leading the way for the Cardinals was Elie Simon, who finished with The lone Cardinal score of the day. It was Simon's first career Collegiate goal as he helped the Cardinals get on the board in the second half. Wheeling got good goalkeeper work from both Daniel Delo and Diego Marquez, who each played one half. Marquez would finish with six saves on eight shots faced, while Delo would save four of the six balls sent his way. Jon-Michael Gordon and Hallvard Falch were Wheeling's two leading shot takers, with both players taking three shots and putting one on net, while Baptiste Hervaud added two shots, putting one on net.

The Wheeling University Men's Soccer Team returns to action on Wednesday September 17th, when they face Salem University with kickoff at 7 PM.