Wheeling, W. Va. - The 2026 Mountain East Conference (MEC) Women's Soccer season came to its final day on Wednesday, and the Wheeling University Women's Soccer team (2-14-2, 2-12-2) made their way to the hilltop for the second meeting of "The Battle for Wheeling" in 2026. The Cardinals would end up going out with a bang, scoring in the first 10 minutes before completing their third shutout of 2026. It was enough to lift Wheeling to a season-ending 1-0 win, sending them into the off-season with momentum that they can use as they continue to build towards 2027.
West Liberty would take the opening kick-off and were aggressive with their ball movement to start the game. Kylie Collins would send a Hilltopper shot on net just two minutes into the game, but Katelyn MacInnis was there to make the save. The Hilltoppers would have a corner kick attempt cleared by the Cardinals two minutes later, and it was Wheeling's turn to go on the attack. Their first scoring opportunity came at the 8:34 mark, when Maira Alevato lined up for a Penalty Kick. It would end up ricocheting off West Liberty's Claire Asanovich for the save, but Theresa Markwei came in for the rebound and put the ball in the back of the net to complete the chance. It was the third goal of the season for Markwei, helping her set a new career-high and getting Wheeling out to the early lead.
West Liberty would look for the equalizer just five minutes later, but MacInnis was there once again to keep her team out in front. The freshman goalkeeper would do more than her part, making three saves over the next nine minutes to keep the Cardinals ahead 1-0. Alevato gave her a small reprieve after the third save, taking the ball nearly coast-to-coast, but was denied by Asanovich to keep it a 1-0 game. The Hilltoppers would win the shot battle over the final 35 minutes of play, outshooting the Cardinals 9-1 during that span. The Cardinal back line did their part, forcing four of those shots off target, but West Liberty once again looked for the equalizer with four minutes before the break. Allie Callahan would be the one to take the shot, but MacInnis made her fifth save of the half to keep it a 1-0 Wheeling lead.
That would be the score as the team's went to the locker room, with the Cardinals looking to make adjustments on defense. They had been outshot 10-3 over the first 45 minutes, with five of those 10 shots being on net. The Cardinals made those adjustments, and would get the first shot off in the 51st minute as Lily Hanna sent one wide of the net. West Liberty would get their first shot on goal in the 64th minute, courtesy of Collins, but MacInnis continued to be a brick wall with her sixth save of the night. The Cardinals were more aggressive in the half, outshooting West Liberty 4-3, but it all came down to a final Hilltopper shot with six minutes to play. A Wheeling foul set up Emma Lieu with a scoring opportunity, and MacInnis would finish her strong night with a save that helped secure the 1-0 Wheeling victory.
It would be Katelynn MacInnis who led the Cardinals on this night, making seven saves to secure her second shutout of the season. Of those seven saves, five would come in the first half, as she earned her first collegiate win and made the early Wheeling goal stand at the end of the day. That goal would come courtesy of Theresah Markwei, who put the only shot she took on the day in the back of the net. Maira Alevato would add two shots, putting both on net, while Lily Hanna would be the final Cardinal to take a shot, taking two on the night. It would end the 2026 season for the Cardinals at 2-14-2 overall and 2-12-2 in MEC play under first-year Head Coach Jaclyn Ketter, as she looks to lead the Cardinals into the future.
The Wheeling University Women's Soccer team now heads into the off-season as they look to continue to grow and build towards the 2027 season.
