The Point Park Pioneers volleyball team faced their first conference loss against the Wheeling University Cardinals on Friday, Oct. 4 in the Alma Grace McDonough Center. The Cardinals won 3-0 on their home turf.  

The Pioneers lost all three sets with the scores 25-9, 25-12 and 25-11. Point Park left West Virginia with an overall record of 3-9 and a conference record of 2-1; Wheeling left with 9-7 and 2-1.  

“When you play away from home, your concentration and motivation to win the game must be even higher than usual,” Pioneer Rachele Tessari said. “I am often motivated by the crowd of the other team, their energy against us fuels me and increases my adrenaline.” 

The Point Park game leaders were Eden McElhaney, with five kills and 11 digs, and Ana Baruh Krstic, with five kills and one service ace.  

“Wheeling was a good opponent that showed us where our weaknesses are and what we need to work on going forward,” Krstic said. The Pioneers were off to a rough start in the first set, with the Cardinals climbing to nine kills as the Pioneers got their third kill. The Cardinals’ momentum continued until the end of the set, with the final score being 25-9.  

As the Pioneers headed into the second set, they lost their momentum on their third point. By their fourth kill, the Cardinals were at 11 points. Point Park made a valiant effort to catch up, scoring six points close together.  This placed Point Park at 10 points, with Wheeling at 14. However, the Pioneers lost their stride, and the set ended with the score at 25-12.  

“As a team, we are aware that we have to work harder and improve many things in terms of our game, such as faster type of game,” Tessari said.  

The third set went much like the first did for Point Park, at their third kill Wheeling had made it to six points. The Pioneers were left with an extensive gap for the rest of this set with the final score at 25-12.  

“The speed [Wheeling] played the game with, is something that we can work on and implement on our side of the net,” Krstic said.  

Point Park’s next match will be away and against conference teams, West Liberty on Tuesday, Oct. 8, and Fairmont State on Friday, Oct. 11.  

“We are approaching the crucial part of the conference, against the top teams,” Tessari said. “It is time to study new game strategies…and above all be mentally ready for any type of situation we will find ourselves in when we are away, in terms of gym, crowd and the other team itself.”