Wheeling, W. Va. – After Opening a three-match home stand on Tuesday night, the Wheeling University Volleyball team (12-7, 6-2) is ready to welcome back friends, family, and alumni back to the Alma Grace McDonough Center. The Cardinals we'll play a pair of matches as part of Wheeling University Homecoming & Family Weekend as they continue their run through the Mountain East Conference (MEC) South Division. They open the weekend on Friday against Concord at 6 PM, before welcoming in Shawnee State to close the weekend on Saturday at 4 PM.
The Cardinals are coming off of a five-set battle with Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) where the Cardinals got off to a hot start. Their defense would lead the way early on as they rode in 18-7. Set one lead to a 25-14 set to start the night. Set two would see the team's battle to a win by two scenario, and it looked like Wheeling would get the momentum on the backs of a 26-24 set win that gave them a 2-0 lead. Wheeling had a lead late in the set three, and looked like they would be able to complete the sweep, however, IUP would earn the 25-23 set. 3. Win that ended up changing the momentum. The Crimson Hawks would get the lead early in each of the final two sets, as they were able to complete the reverse sweep of the Cardinals. With IUP being one of the top ranked teams in the conference, it was a good test for the young Cardinals as they continue making their push for the postseason.
Leading the effort once again was sophomore Camryn Matus, who collected her second straight Double-Double, leaning the way with 11 kills and 11 assists in the effort. It is part of a string of success for the sophomore, who has recorded seven double-doubles this season, with all seven of those coming in the last 11 matches. During that time, she has also been one of the Cardinal's most efficient hitters, putting together a hitting percentage of .300 or better in four of those last seven matches. That stretch has helped raise her season hitting percentage to .282, moving her up to ninth in the MEC in hitting percentage this season. Her 189 kills ranks sixth in the conference, while her 2.78 kills/set puts her seventh in the conference to round out her top 10 performances. Matus has been one of the most consistent performers for Wheeling over her first two seasons, and looks to continue that success as they hit the final three and a half week stretch of the regular season.
The other Cardinal to record a double-double on the night was Faith Keifer, who did it with a team-best 23 assists, coupled with 13 digs on the night to lead the defense. Keifer has been putting a large emphasis on her defensive game and has been one of the Leaders on the Cardinal back line. She is finished with double-digit digs in three of her last five matches, with all three of those efforts ending in double doubles. Her success has also extended to the servers box, where she has had at least one service Ace in four of her last five matches. On the front line, the Cardinal block has been a big part of their success led by sophomore Aleithia Wilson. Wilson finished with three total blocks against IUP and is finished with at least three total blocks in each of her last four matches. She has been one of the top blockers in the MEC this season, ranking Fourth in block assists (51) and 6th in total blocks (57). Wilson and the Cardinal Frontline look to continue to play a key role in the team's run towards the postseason.
As they enter the final 3 and 1/2 week stretch, Wheeling will be looking to stack wins together as they battle for the top spot in the MEC North Division. They currently sit Two games behind Fairmont State for the division lead, while holding a one-game lead over West Liberty. Their magic number to clinch a playoff spot sits at five, With any combination of five Cardinal wins or five point Park losses earning the Cardinals a trip to the MEC Volleyball Tournament. It will be a tough road for the Cardinals, with five of their final eight matches coming on the road, including a trip to the divisional leader Fairmont State on October 20. The Cardinals will look to build off the momentum of a big Homecoming crowd to help propel them down the final stretch of the regular season.
The Match-ups
Concord: The Cardinals and Mountain Lions are meeting for the 32nd time in program history when they kick off the weekend on Friday. Wheeling leads the all-time series with a record of 29-2, including a win streak that spans back to the 1997 season. 13 of those matches have come inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center, with the Cardinals going a perfect 13-0 in those previous meetings. The last meeting between the two programs came on October 24, 2025 In a match that Wheeling would win 3-1. Olivia Batch posted a double-double to lead the way, finishing with 13 kills and 14 digs, while former Cardinal Lexi Duplessis led the way with 47 assists.
Shawnee State: The Cardinals and Bears our meeting for the first time in program history when they wrap up the weekend on Saturday. In their inaugural season in the MEC, Shawnee State has gone 7-13 overall and 2-6 in conference play. They hold a team hitting percentage of .172 on the season, while their defense is averaged 14.6 digs per set. Wheeling will be welcoming them to the Alma Grace McDonough Center for the first time as a conference opponent and look to start the all-time series with a win
The Details
First serve for Friday's weekend opener is scheduled for 6 PM inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center for the teams annual Dig Pink match. You can watch the match live by clicking HERE or follow along with live stats by clicking HERE.
