#11 Wrestlers Storm Back to Defeat #16 Ashland
01/18/13... (Results) Similar to Tuesday's match at Gannon University, the 11th-ranked Mountain Cat wrestlers fell behind after two bouts. Once again, Pitt-Johnstown stormed back. This time with falls from Keith Ryan (Shirleysburg, Pa.), Gary Lantz (Delta, Pa.) and Josh Duplin (Johnstown, Pa.) to hand 16th-ranked Ashland (OH) University a 33-10 loss Friday night in the Sports Center. The Mountain Cats have won six straight dual meets and improved to 7-2.
Ashland jumped out to a quick 7-0 advantage after two matches. Eighth-ranked Max Byrd got a third-period takedown to defeat Evan Link (Cresson, Pa.), 6-4 at 125 lbs., and fourth-ranked Michael Labry scored a 10-2 major decision over All-American and eighth-ranked Dave Fogle (Summehill, Pa.) at 133 lbs.
Pitt-Johnstown answered right back to take the lead and never look back. Dave Cawley's (Pittsburgh, Pa.) second-period 17-0 technical fall over Nolan Dilts cut it to 7-5, and All-American Jack Bachman (Greensburg, Pa.) followed with a 9-0 major decision over National Qualifier Danny Genetin at 149 lbs. to put the Mountain Cats in front, 9-7.
At 157 lbs., Joel Paolo (Weirton, WV) got a third-period escape to earn a 1-0 win over Anthony Perkins.
Ryan then pinned Randall Perkins at 3:56 to extend it out to 18-7. Lantz pinned Michael Blum at 3:36 to make it 24-7, before All-American and eighth-ranked Travis McKillop (Lower Burrell, Pa.) put the match out of reach with a 5-0 decision over Bryson Hall at 184 lbs.
Ashland's third-ranked Joe Brandt defeated Nikos Garafola (Greensburg, Pa.) 8-3 at 197 lbs., but Duplin closed out the match with a fall over Tyler Houska at 5:18 that set the final at 33-10.
The Mountain Cats travel to the 2013 Super Regional I Duals at Newberry (SC) College on Friday and Saturday and to Mercyhurst College on February 1, before hosting three straight home matches starting with Seton Hill University on February 6 at 7 p.m. in the Sports Center.
#11 PITT-JOHNSTOWN VS. #16 ASHLAND
PITT-JOHNSTOWN 33 ASHLAND 10
125 - #8 Max Boyd (AU) Decision Evan Link (UPJ) 6-4 3-0 AU
133 - #4 Michael Labry (AU) Major Decision #8 Dave Fogle (UPJ) 10-2 7-0 AU
141 - Dave Cawley (UPJ) Technical Fall Nolan Dilts 17-0 (4:02) 7-5 AU
149 - Jack Bachman (UPJ) Major Decision Danny Genetin (AU) 9-0 9-7 UPJ
157 - Joel Paolo (UPJ) Decision Anthony Pavlich (AU) 1-0 12-7 UPJ
165 - Keith Ryan (UPJ) Fall Randall Perkins (AU) 3:56 18-7 UPJ
174 - Gary Lantz (UPJ) Fall Michael Blum (AU) 3:36 24-7 UPJ
184 - #8 Travis McKillop (UPJ) Decision Bryson Hall (AU) 5-0 27-7 UPJ
197 - #3 Joe Brandt (AU) Decision Nikos Garafola (UPJ) 8-3 27-10 UPJ
HWT. - Josh Duplin (UPJ) Fall Tyler Houska (AU) 5:18 33-10