WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – Senior captain Bernardo Vilchis scored a pair of goals and the West Liberty University men's soccer team defeated Ohio County rival Wheeling, 3-1, here Wednesday night in a Mountain East Conference match under the lights at the West Family Athletic Complex.
     Vilchis gave Coach Sean Regan's Hilltoppers (4-4-0, 3-4-0) an early lead when he sent home a penalty kick in the ninth minute but the Cardinals (3-4-0, 2-3-0) equalized in the 13th minute when a hustling Richard Afolayanka took advantage of a WLU defensive miscue to find the net.
     West Liberty answered with the goal of the night in the 21st minute.
     Sprinting down the right sideline, Liam Toman sent a long cross to Vitor Otsuka on a back post run. A sliding Otsuka got just enough of a foot to the ball to squeeze it just inside the left post for what proved to be the game-winning goal.
     West Liberty carried that 2-1 lead into intermission and controlled the run of play throughout the remainder of the game as Wheeling managed to put only one other shot on goal the rest of the way.
     The Hilltoppers closed out the scoring in the final minute of regulation when Otsuka set up Vilchis' second goal with a short pass inside the six.
     West Liberty outshot the Cardinals, 9-7, on the night but had a 6-2 edge in shots on goal. Noah Underwood had one save to earn the win in net for the hosts while Wheeling net-minder Tyler Serman stopped three of WLU's six shots on frame.
     The Hilltoppers return to action on Saturday when they host Notre Dame (Ohio) in a 3:30 p.m. match at the West Family Athletic Complex.
  Wheeling                                             1  0 – 1
West Liberty                                       2  1 – 3        WLU: Bernardo Vilchis (penalty kick), 8:26
       WU: Richard Afolayanka (unassisted), 12:40
       WLU: Vitor Otsuka (Liam Toman), 20:17        WLU: Bernardo Vilchis (Vitor Otsuka), 89:36        Shots: Wheeling 7, West Liberty 9
       Shots on Goal: Wheeling 2, West Liberty 6
       Saves: Wheeling 3 (Tyler Serman 3), West Liberty 1 (Noah Underwood 1)
       Corners: Wheeling 2, West Liberty 2
A: 150