Wheeling, W. Va. – Throughout her time as Head Wheeling Women’s Basketball coach, Anna Kowalska has preached the importance of defense to her team. On Saturday, that defense was on full display as the Cardinals (2-3, 0-0) welcomed Salem to the Alma Grace McDonough Center for their 2024-2025 Home Opener. Wheeling held Salem to a 32.7% mark from the floor on the night and held them under 50 points as the Cardinals took down Salem 66-49.
Both teams got their offenses going from three-point range, with Lucia Yane hitting for Salem and Emilia Sierra Lacosta hitting for the Cardinals to tie the game at 3-3. The teams kept going back and forth, with Wheeling holding a 5-3 advantage before a 6-0 run gave Salem a 9-5 lead. Bryana Henderson would break the run with a three-pointer and sent the Cardinals on their first run of the night. Wheeling would score nine-straight points to flip the score to a 14-9 Wheeling advantage with 3:24 to play in the quarter. Wheeling would continue to hit from the three-point line and it was a three at the end of the half that gave them daylight. Sierra Lacosta hit the final shot of the quarter and after one, the Cardinals had a 19-13 lead.
The second quarter would be the most tightly contested quarter, with the teams trading 25 points in the quarter. Salem would get things started with a three, and Kaylee Marvin got Wheeling on the board with a layup under the net. It would get the Cardinals started once again, as they scored 11 of the next 13 points to up their advantage to 30-18. The Cardinals would get a spark off the bench from Mah Minthe, who hit five points during the run, including a three-pointer, to give Wheeling their biggest lead of the day. However, Salem would not go down without a fight, scoring seven of the final nine points. As the teams went into the locker room, Wheeling would hold a 32-25 advantage. The Cardinals held Salem to a 28.57% mark from the floor in the quarter, and the defense would be even stronger as the second half began.
The Tigers scored the first points of the new half, and put up four of the next six points to make it a 34-29 game. The Cardinals needed another run, and Marvin would once again be the catalyst with 6:47 to go in the quarter. This time, it was an 11-3 run in favor of the Cardinals as they got the daylight they needed. Graci Fairman would be the catalyst during the run, scoring five points, including a three-pointer for the final bucket of the run, that made it a 45-32 game. Minthe would end the quarter strong after Salem broke the run, scoring five straight points and the score sat at 50-34 after three quarters. Salem was once again held down, shooting 30% from the floor, and the Cardinals were looking to end the game strong.
Minthe would continue her success into the fourth quarter, scoring the first Cardinal bucket of the final 10 minutes. Sierra Lacosta would add five points of her own and Mia Donald hit a pair of free throws that made it 59-41 in favor of Wheeling. The Cardinal’s offense would seal the deal after the media timeout, as Mia Donald added four points and Kristel Rattasepp completed an and-one play that gave the Cardinals a 20-point advantage. Cylee Leggett would score the final Cardinal point of the night with 1:52 to go and, despite a Salem three-pointer, the Cardinals would finish out the 66-49 win as the Cardinals moved to 2-3 on the season.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was the duo of Kristel Rattasepp and Mah Minthe, who each finished with 12 points on the night. Rattasepp was one of the two leading scorers for the Cardinals for the second time this season, while shooting 50% from the floor. Mah Minthe was a spark off the bench, adding a season-high 12 points in the effort, and was the Cardinal’s most efficient shooter at 55.5% from the floor. Kaylee Marvin would lead the defensive effort with 10 rebounds and Kenzie Dalton rounded out the day with a team-high six assists to go along with nine rebounds.
The Wheeling University Women’s Basketball team returns to action on Tuesday, November 26th, when the Cardinals battle Point Park with tip-off at 5:30 PM.
