Wheeling, W. Va. - Throughout the month of September, the Wheeling University Volleyball team (9-5, 3-1) had the luxury of being on their home court. As the calendar turns to October, the Cardinals will now turn their attention to the road as they travel to Elkins, West Virginia for a Friday night match with Davis & Elkins. It will be the first-ever Mountain East Conference (MEC) North Divisional match-up between the two programs, with first serve scheduled for 7 PM.
On Tuesday, Wheeling wrapped up an 11-match homestand when they welcomed in Frostburg State to continue their first run through the MEC North. After an efficient weekend that saw the team pick up back-to-back sweeps over Point Park and Lake Erie, the Cardinals built on that success. They would hit .324 as a team across the three sets, and got better each time out. In the first set, both teams were feeling each other out, before the Cardinals broke the ice with a 15-1 run that helped them to a 25-15 set one win. In each of the two subsequent sets, the Cardinals would get out to early leads and, despite a battle back by the Bobcats, they held on for the 3-0 sweep. The third set was their most efficient of the night, seeing them hit .406 to round out the night. It was the third straight sweep for the Cardinals as they improved to 3-1 in conference play.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was Camryn Matus, who picked up her third double-double of the season. She would lead the way with 12 kills and added 10 assists in the effort as she continues double duty both on attack and setting. On the offensive side, she would knock down 12 kills with just two service aces on the night to finish with a .345 hitting percentage. It continued a string of three straight matches with a .250 or better hitting percentage for the sophomore, and marked the sixth time in the last seven matches that she has finished with double digit assists. After winning the MEC's Freshman of the Year award a season ago, Matus has been asked to step up in two different roles due to injury. She looks to continue that success as the Cardinals look to rack up the conference wins in October.
Also continuing an impressive string of efficiency was Bella DeBarr, who finished right behind Matus with eight kills on the night. She would finish with a .421 hitting percentage, not committing an attack error while knocking down eight kills. She also had a season-high day on defense, finishing with three block assists and three digs. DeBarr has been a key piece off the bench this season, and has hit .250 or better in five of her last seven matches. The most efficient Cardinal of the night was Katie Wilking, who finished with seven kills on eight total attacks for an .875 hitting percentage. She knocked down kills successfully on each of her first seven attacks of the night, helping the Cardinals to their third straight sweep. Wilking has been the team's most efficient hitter throughout the season, holding a .336 hitting percentage for the year, and continues to be a force in front of the net.
After going 8-3 across their 11-match homestand, the Cardinals will now be on the road for three of their next four matches. Friday will mark the first official road match of the season for the Cardinals as they head down to Elkins, West Virginia. Davis & Elkins is the newest MEC North team this season, moving up from the south after the edition of Shawnee State. Through their first three MEC North matches of the season, the Cardinals have gone 2-1, with their lone loss coming at the hands of Fairmont State. After hitting the road for each of the last five MEC Tournaments, the Cardinals are looking to host their first conference tournament since before the Spring 2021 COVID season. They look to string some wins together in October as they begin the stretch run towards the 2026 postseason.
The Match-up
The Cardinals and Senators are meeting for the 22nd time in program history, with Wheeling winning each of the first 21 meetings between the two teams. It will be the Cardinal's 11th trip down to Elkins, West Virginia, where they have gone 9-0 in previous meetings. Along with winning each of the first 21 meetings between the two teams, wheeling has not yet lost a set to Davis & Elkins, dating back to the 2002 season.
The last meeting between the two teams came back on October 18, 2025 in a match that Wheeling would win 3-0. The Cardinals would be led by Bella DeBarr, who knocked down 12 kills on 20 total attacks for a .450 hitting percentage. Former Cardinal Lexi Duplessis led the passing game, finishing with 35 assists, while Kendall Kupper added 16 digs to round out the day.
The Details
First serve for Friday's match is scheduled for 7 PM inside the McDonnell Center on the campus of Davis & Elkins University. You can watch the match live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
