Wheeling, W.Va. – Wheeling University Homecoming & Family Weekend kicked off on Friday with friends, family, and alumni coming home to celebrate their Cardinal pride. The Wheeling University Volleyball team (13-7, 7-2) got the weekend started with the first of two matches when they welcomed in Concord on Friday night. It was a battle of extra points, with two of the three sets coming down to a win-by-two scenario, but it was the Cardinals that came out on top with a 3-0 sweep to start their weekend.
After taking a tough loss on Tuesday night to IUP, the Cardinals were looking to bounce back as they continued their run through the MEC South. Early on, Concord looked to have different ideas, with the Mountain Lions jumping out to an 11-4 lead in set one. A Concord attack error would get the ball back in Wheeling's court, and senior Josie Schroder would be the one to get things started with a kill. It sent Wheeling on a 14-3 run that completely flipped the scoreboard to 18-14 in favor of Wheeling. Schroder would play a key role during that run, knocking down four kills to get Wheeling in the lead late. The teams would go back and forth, with the lead changing hands three times before Concord set up set point at 24-23. Katie Wilking would force the win-by-two scenario with a kill, and Kendall Kupper put the Cardinals in the driver's seat with a service ace. The 3-0 Cardinal run would end with a Concord attack error as the Cardinals took the 26-24 set one win.
With a 1-0 lead on their side, Wheeling would jump out to the early lead in set two, scoring three of the first four points. Aleithia Wilson got the set started with a kill, and after a battle back by Concord, Matus would knock down a kill to keep the game tied at 4-4. That second set would be the most competitive set of the night, with the two teams going back and forth throughout. At the media timeout, it was Wheeling that had the advantage at 15-14. Freshman Ava Green would be the one to help Wheeling get that advantage by knocking down two kills as part of a 4-1 run right before the media timeout. The back and forth continued up to the final point of the set, with a May Williams kill once again putting Wheeling on the ropes with a Concord set point. A Mountain Lion service ace would force the win-by-two scenario, and the teams would go back and forth for the highest point total in a set by the Cardinals this season.
Both teams were out of subs and out of timeouts, so it'd be up to the six players on the floor to end the set. With the score sitting at 26-26, it would be a Wilson solo block that gave Wheeling set point at 27-26, before Matus knocked down the kill to give Wheeling the 28-26 set win and a 2-0 lead in the match. In set three Wheeling's offense would ensure that the Cardinals continued their momentum. After battling to an 8-7 score over the first 15 points of the set, it was a Concord service error that gave Wheeling the advantage they needed. They would go on a 6-1 run, led by two Matus kills, that put them ahead 14-8. Following the media timeout, they would extend that lead to 16-9 before Concord began to battle back. The Mountain Lions went on a 5-1 run to get back to within three points at 17-14. Wheeling's offense would get right back on it, going on a 7-2 run that saw four different Cardinals knock down kills to set up match point. Concord was not ready to give up just yet, scoring four straight points to keep the set alive before the Cardinal front line called match. It would be Wilson knocking down the final kill of the night to give Wheeling the 25-20 set three win and earn them the 3-0 sweep of Concord.
It would once again be sophomore Camryn Matus leading the way for the Cardinals with her third straight double-double and her eighth of the season. She would lead the offense with 13 kills while adding 18 assists and holding a .429 hitting percentage. It continued a string of success that has seen Matus hold a .300 or better hitting percentage in four of her last five matches. The Cardinals' most efficient hitter on the night was Katie Willing, who hit .500 and finished with seven kills, while Josie Schroeder tied her career high with 11 kills. Faith Keifer would pick up her second straight double-double, leading the passing game with 20 assists and adding 11 digs, while sophomore Mara McDougal rounded out the night with a team-high 15 digs.
The Wheeling University Volleyball team returns to action on Saturday, October 17, when they host Shawnee State with first serve at 4 p.m.
