Next Game:
at Point Park University (Pa.)
9/13/2025 | 12 PM
Sep. 13 (Sat) / 12 PM
at Point Park University (Pa.)
Wheeling, W. Va. – After a long preseason training camp, the Wheeling University Women’s Soccer team (0-1, 0-0) kicked off the 2025 season on Saturday. They played host to Florida Southern College and were locked in a defensive battle throughout the afternoon. It would all come down to the final seven minutes of play, but a Moccasins goal would be the difference as Wheeling fell 1-0 to start the first of a back-to-back weekend of games.
After playing to a 0-0 tie through the first 45 minutes of play, both teams would be looking for a breakthrough as they headed to the second half. Florida Southern would get the first shot off in the half in the 59th minute, but it was off target thanks to the work of the back line. Wheeling would have the first scoring try of the new half in the 65th minute. After a Florida Southern foul, Nyah Smith would push up the field in the 65th minute, and sent a shot on the bottom right corner of the net. Moccasins goalkeeper Carly Brodsky would make the save and kept it a 0-0 game with 25 minutes to go. As was the case in the first half, both back lines played strong throughout the day, allowing just two shots over the first 20 minutes of the new half.
Florida Southern nearly broke the stalemate in the 71st minute after a Wheeling foul set up a Florida Southern free kick. They sent the ball towards the crossbar but Sam Faulkner was able to leap up and get her fingertips on the ball. It knocked it above that crossbar and kept the game scoreless with 16 minutes to play. Wheeling would take just one more shot over those final 16 minutes, courtesy of Rosie Caley, but it would end up sailing wide right, in the 83rd minute. It would be the Moccasins that finally broke through after clearing a ball from their defensive zone. The clear would find the foot of Florida Southern’s Jasmin Adames, And she would sneak it into the back of the net to break the 0-0 tie. Wheeling would try to push the ball up field over the remaining 7 minutes but we’re unable to find their footing as they fell by that 1-0 score.
Despite giving up the goal late, it was a big day in net for Sam Faulkner, who faced five shots on the day and was able to save four of them. After splitting time in net last season, she is looking forward to leading the Cardinal defensive effort throughout 2025. She was helped out by a strong back line that included Lily Hanna, Caryn Goins, and Jersey Scyoc, They limited the Moccasins to just five shots on goal and 10 total shots on the day. On the offensive end, it was Rosie Caley who led the Cardinals, taking two shots on the day with neither falling on net. Nyah Smith and Caryn Goins would each put a shot on net to round out the team’s offensive effort where they took four shots and put two of those on net. Despite the loss, the Cardinals showed great defensive skill throughout the day that they look to build on the rest of the year.
In the games first half, Florida Southern controlled the time of possession with the Cardinals playing back on defense. The first shot attempt by the Moccasins would come at the 18 minute mark as the back line forced a shot off net. That would be the only shot taken over the first 34 minutes of play with both teams fighting for possession in the midfield. The Cardinals had a few attacking opportunities, sending different players on runs down the sidelines, but Florida Southern was there to sniff out any scoring chances. In the 35th minute, Florida Southern put their first shot on netFollowing a corner kick, but Faulkner was there to make the save and keep it 0-0. Florida Southern would send one more shot off net before Wheeling made a push in the final 5 minutes to try to get on the board.
After coming in off the bench, Caley would attempt the first shot for the Cardinals in the 41st minute. She sent the shot just to the right of the net, but the Cardinals finally made the push they needed. Their first scoring opportunity came at the 44 minute mark want to foul set them up for a free kick 20 yards away from the net. It would be Goins attempting the kick and she sent it square to the middle of the net. However, Brodsky was able to make the save and keep it a 0-0 game. The Cardinals were outshot 5-2 in both halves of the game and the limited offensive opportunities ultimately led them to their season opening loss.
The Wheeling University Women’s Soccer Team returns to action on Sunday, September 7th, when they take on Lourdes University In Columbus, Ohio with kickoff at 12:30 PM