Bald Eagles drop dual meet to #7 Penn State
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - The Lock Haven University wrestling team (9-8) fell to No. 7 Penn State University (14-5) 35-8 tonight in Thomas Fieldhouse in non-conference dual meet action.
The Bald Eagles found themselves in a hole early trailing 6-0 after forfeiting at the 125 weight class.
Freshman Billy Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) came out and wrestled tough at 133, but dropped a 7-3 decision to Penn State’s Tim Haas.
Sophomore George Ester (Odenton, Md./Arundel), who was wrestling up several weight classes fell at 141 to 2007 All-American Jake Strayer.
At 149 pounds redshirt-junior Matt Fittery (Denver, Pa./Cocalico) put on a clinic for the home faithful on the way to his team-leading 21st win of the year. Fittery picked up the tech fall win right at the buzzer, earning a takedown and two near fall points with just seconds left in his match against Mike Eagen, winning 21-6.
Fittery went to work early scoring on three takedowns and tacking on five near fall points in the first period. He continued to dominate throughout, taking a 13-5 lead into the third and eventually accumulated 3:16 of riding time before earning the last second takedown that set up the tech fall win.
At 157 freshman John Mangini (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) lost 19-8 to PSU’s Bubba Jenkins who is ranked No. 5 nationally at 149 pounds.
Sophomore Derek Caldwell (Curwensville, Pa./Curwensville) lost 19-6 to Dave Rella at 165.
Wrestling for the last time in Thomas Fieldhouse senior Mike Metzger (Shillington, Pa./Governor Mifflin) put fourth a tremendous effort, but fell 5-2 in an exciting bout at 174.
In a match that brought the entire crowd to life sophomore Jeremie Cook (Venice, Fla./Venice) scored a takedown 57 seconds into overtime to down PSU’s Jack Decker 3-1.
Cook led 1-0 after the first period scoring after Decker was called for locked hands. Cook really went to work in the third erasing over two minutes of riding time that Decker had accumulated before Decker finally scored the escape. The third period ended in a frenzy with both wrestlers pushing the action setting up the exciting overtime period.
At 197 redshirt-junior Ben Hepburn (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock) was pinned by Phil Davis, the nation’s third-ranked 197-pounder.
Freshman-heavyweight Dan Craig (Paw Paw, Mich./Allegan) fell to No. 16 John Laboranti 13-5 in the evening’s final bout.
The Bald Eagles are back in action on Saturday, March 8 at the Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) Championships in the University of Pittsburgh.
Individual match-by-match: