Wheeling, W. Va. – On Wednesday afternoon, the Wheeling University Women’s Lacrosse team faced off against Shepherd in a non-conference matchup. It was a tough day for the Cardinals, who lost 21-6. Despite taking some solid shots—13 of their 19 were on target—they struggled to find the net consistently after the first quarter.
The game started off promising. In just four minutes, Trinity Rose set up Jovie Noack for a quick goal, giving Wheeling a 1-0 lead—marking their first lead of the season. However, Shepherd quickly responded; Katherine Stevenson tied it up just 45 seconds later.
The back-and-forth continued as Wheeling took a brief lead again, thanks to a goal from Paige Jankowski, making it 2-1. Brittney Warner of Shepherd scored shortly after, and the teams traded goals until Shepherd began to dominate. By the end of the first quarter, Wheeling trailed 6-3 after Shepherd went on a 4-0 run.
In the second quarter, Shepherd extended their lead to 10-3. After a timeout, Rose managed to score again, but the Cardinals went into halftime still down 10-4.
Wheeling had nine shots in the first half, but Shepherd took a total of 19 shots, showing a clear advantage. The Rams came out strong after the break, adding seven more goals while Wheeling could only manage one. The third quarter ended with a score of 18-5, and the running clock started for the final quarter.
As the game wrapped up, the bench players got some time on the field. The last moments saw Rose score again, this time connecting with Domachowska in a turnaround from their first goal. Ultimately, Wheeling fell, but Rose had a standout performance, scoring three goals and adding two assists.
The Cardinals’ next game is on March 3rd against Chestnut Hill, where they’ll look to improve.
Interestingly, women’s lacrosse has been growing across the country. According to the NCAA, women’s lacrosse participation has increased by over 90% in the last decade. This trend highlights the sport’s rising popularity and the increasing investment in women’s athletics.
As teams like Wheeling continue to develop, they’re not just showcasing talent but also striving to elevate women’s sports as a whole.
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