Wheeling, W. Va. – The Wheeling University Volleyball team (8-5, 2-1) put together a bounce back win on Friday night, and we're looking to keep the Good vibes going on Saturday afternoon. They welcomed in Malone University In non-conference action and would end up sweeping the weekend with a 3-0 win. The Cardinal offense improved on its efficiency, hitting .314 as a team across the three sets, to move to 7-3 on their home floor in 2026.
The match would start with Malone getting the early momentum, scoring for the first six points to start set one. It would once again be the young Cardinals that got Wheeling going, with Tatum Creps starting a 3-0 Wheeling run, coupled with a Faith Keifer service ace, that put Wheeling ahead. 5-4. After Malone briefly brought the set even, Autumn King would get the next Cardinal run going with a kill as they scored five in the next six points. For every run by the Cardinals, the Pioneers were able to keep things close and by the media time out Wheeling held a 15-11 advantage. Katie Wilking was the one to send the set into the media time out and Friday night hero Bella DeBarr would end the run with back-to-back kills giving Wheeling a 22-15 lead. Malone answered with two points of their own, but it would be DeBarr who brought it home with the final two kills to give Wheeling the 25-17 set one victory. Entering the match, the Cardinals were a perfect 4-0 when winning the first set and they looked to continue that success going in this one.
Set two would see the Cardinals get out to their best start of the match, after Malone scored the first two points. Ava Green picked up the first Cardinal kill of the set and sent her team on a 6-0 run. Green would knock down two kills during the run while Mara McDougal Added three service aces to get the Cardinals off and running. Despite the hot start, Malone would stay alive and got back to within one point of the Cardinals with the set score sitting at 11-10. This time, the Cardinals would turn to their senior Wilking, to get them going and she would send them on a 7-1 swing. The senior had three kills during the run before Matus delivered the capper. Late in the set, It would once again be Matus knocking down a kill as the Cardinals brought up set point at 24-15. The Pioneers answered With a kill by Haley Conrad, before Wilking knock down the set winner to give Wheeling the 25-16 victory. They now had a 2-0 lead on their side and we're looking to sweep both matches during the weekend for the first time this season.
The Cardinal defense would do their part to ensure that that happened, forcing a Malone attack error on the opening point before Isabella Faro added a pair of service aces. It started in 8-2 run for the Cardinals to open the third set and they're offense just kept going as their lead ballooned to 14-4. Carmen Muzingo would be heavily featured on the run, knocking down three kills, while the Cardinal servers combined for three aces. Matus would send the set to the media timeout, but Malone has one more push up their sleeve. They would rally back, scoring 13 of the next 19 points and brought the set score back to 21-18 late. A service error gave the ball back to the Cardinals, and Faro and Matus would deliver back-to-back kills to bring up match point at 24-18. An attack error would keep Malone alive for one more point, but in the end it was Muzingo that rounded out the night with a kill and the Cardinals would take the final set 25-18. It marked the second straight sweep for the Cardinals, the first time they have accomplished back-to-back sweeps this season.
Leading the Cardinals for the second day in a row was Bella DeBarr, who finished with eight kills and a .400 hitting percentage on the night. It wrapped up a weekend that would see DeBarr knock down 19 kills on the weekend, and hit .250 or better in back-to-back matches. Tying with her for the team lead in kills was Camryn Matus, who also finished with eight, while adding 15 assists in the passing game. Faith Keifer would be the assist leader for the team, picking up 20, while Katie Wilking held the top hitting percentage at .500. On the defensive end, Mara McDougal finished with 16 digs while Carmen Muzingo rounded out the night with two block assists.
The Wheeling University Volleyball team returns to action on Tuesday, September 29, when they host Frostburg State at 7 PM.
