Saturday, November 9
7:00 PM
Lehigh University
17
vs
18
Bucknell
Bucknell stuns No. 22 Lehigh 18-17 on criteria
11/9/2013 10:18:00 PM | Men's Wrestling
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – No. 22 Lehigh and Bucknell split ten bouts in the Mountain Hawks' dual meet opener Saturday night inside Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. A win by injury default for the Bison in the heavyweight match provided the criteria to break a 17-17 tie and give the visitors an 18-17 victory. The match was decided by the second criteria with Bucknell having the greatest combined total number of falls, forfeits, defaults and disqualifications (1-0).
The loss is Lehigh's first ever in ten duals with Bucknell and just the Mountain Hawks' second opening dual loss in six seasons under head coach Pat Santoro.
"With a couple guys it may have been nerves, a few others it could have been the weight cut, but there's no excuse for that," Santoro said. "We wanted wrestle hard. A lot of guys came out hard in the first period and wanted to hang onto leads. We have to learn are lesson and learn the hard way. The only way we can get better is to learn from this. "
The Mountain Hawks were led by sophomore Mason Beckman and senior Joey Napoli, who posted wins by major decision. Beckman gave Lehigh a 4-3 lead with a 10-2 major over Grim Gonzalez at 133. The nation's sixth-ranked wrestler at 133, Beckman scored takedowns in the first and third periods and added a reversal and three-point near fall in the second, plus a hefty 3:28 riding time advantage. Napoli, ranked tenth at 157, racked up five total takedowns in his 14-3 major decision over Logan Kerin, which gave the Mountain Hawks an 11-6 lead at intermission.
Two Lehigh freshmen suffered tough one point losses in the early part of the dual. True freshman Darian Cruz scored the first two takedowns against Paul Petrov at 125. Petrov scored a key escape late in the second period to stay within a point and then added a takedown late in the third period to force overtime. After a scoreless sudden victory period, Petrov rode out the first half of the tiebreaker and then escaped in the second half to win 6-5. Freshman Mitch Minotti was caught on his back for a surprising takedown and two point near fall in the first period against Alex Pellicciotti at 149. Minotti reversed Pellicciotti to open the second period and built a 1:33 riding time advantage but a third period escape gave the Bison senior a 5-4 win.
At 141 sophomore Laike Gardner scored a third period reversal and then rode out Victor Lopez to win 3-2 and give Lehigh a 7-3 lead.
Like Cruz, freshman Brian Brill scored the first two takedowns in his match but eventually saw his bout go to overtime. Brill led Rustin Barrick 4-2 after two periods but Barrick rode brill out in the third to gain riding time, while also picking up a penalty point for stalling. Brill did manage to convert his third takedown of the match, with 25 seconds remaining in sudden victory to win 6-4.
Bucknell crept back into the match with wins at 174 and 184. At 174 freshman Elliot Riddick scored the first takedown against Stephen McPeek, but eventually ended up on the wrong end of a throw attempt as McPeek scored a takedown and three near fall points and nearly pinned Riddick. Trailing 7-4 after one period, Riddick was never able to recover as McPeek earned a 10-5 decision. Senior Austin Meys then stepped out for Lehigh at 184 in his first dual action since February 2011. Meys could not get anything going against Bucknell's Tyler Greene, who scored a first period takedown and worked a tilt for a two point near fall in the second en route to a 7-2 decision.
At 197, sophomore John Bolich gained 1:02 of riding time in the second period before allowing Tyler Lyster to escape. Bolich then chose neutral in the third and scored a takedown, which combined with the riding time advantage gave him a 3-2 win, which gave Lehigh a 17-11 win.
With Bucknell needing a six point victory at heavyweight to win the match, Lehigh sent out sophomore Max Wessell to face tenth ranked Joe Stolfi. Scoreless early in the first period Wessell and Stolfi ended up tangled up in a scramble when Wessell signaled for injury time. A takedown and three point near fall were awarded to Stolfi but a right ankle injury to Wessell would not allow him to continue as Stolfi was declared the winner by injury default at the 54 second mark, giving the Bison the win on criteria.
Lehigh will have two opportunities to rebound next weekend when the Mountain Hawks host two duals. The Mountain Hawks will host No. 17 Bloomsburg Friday at 7 p.m. inside Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall before hosting No. 1 Penn State Sunday at Stabler Arena in the 102nd meeting between the Eastern rivals. Tickets can be purchased at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-7LU-GAME during normal business hours.
Bucknell 18*, Lehigh 17
125 – Paul Petrov (Bucknell) dec. Darian Cruz (Lehigh) 6-5, t.b.
133 – Mason Beckman (Lehigh) major dec. Grim Gonzalez (Bucknell) 10-2
141 – Laike Gardner (Lehigh) dec. Victor Lopez (Bucknell) 3-2
149 – Alex Pellicciotti (Bucknell) dec. Mitch Minotti (Lehigh) 5-4
157 – Joey Napoli (Lehigh) major dec. Logan Kerin (Bucknell) 14-3
165 – Brian Brill (Lehigh) dec. Rustin Barrick (Bucknell) 6-4, s.v.**
174 – Stephen McPeek (Bucknell) dec. Elliot Riddick (Lehigh) 10-5
184 – Tyler Greene (Bucknell) dec. Austin Meys (Lehigh) 7-2
197 – John Bolich (Lehigh) dec. Tyler Lyster (Bucknell) 3-2
285 – Joe Stolfi (Bucknell) injury default Max Wessell (Lehigh) 0:54
* - Bucknell wins on second criteria (Combined total number of falls, forfeits, defaults and disqualifications.)
** - Bucknell docked one team point for unsportsmanlike conduct
Attendance: 1,531
Referee: Michael Milward
The loss is Lehigh's first ever in ten duals with Bucknell and just the Mountain Hawks' second opening dual loss in six seasons under head coach Pat Santoro.
"With a couple guys it may have been nerves, a few others it could have been the weight cut, but there's no excuse for that," Santoro said. "We wanted wrestle hard. A lot of guys came out hard in the first period and wanted to hang onto leads. We have to learn are lesson and learn the hard way. The only way we can get better is to learn from this. "
The Mountain Hawks were led by sophomore Mason Beckman and senior Joey Napoli, who posted wins by major decision. Beckman gave Lehigh a 4-3 lead with a 10-2 major over Grim Gonzalez at 133. The nation's sixth-ranked wrestler at 133, Beckman scored takedowns in the first and third periods and added a reversal and three-point near fall in the second, plus a hefty 3:28 riding time advantage. Napoli, ranked tenth at 157, racked up five total takedowns in his 14-3 major decision over Logan Kerin, which gave the Mountain Hawks an 11-6 lead at intermission.
Two Lehigh freshmen suffered tough one point losses in the early part of the dual. True freshman Darian Cruz scored the first two takedowns against Paul Petrov at 125. Petrov scored a key escape late in the second period to stay within a point and then added a takedown late in the third period to force overtime. After a scoreless sudden victory period, Petrov rode out the first half of the tiebreaker and then escaped in the second half to win 6-5. Freshman Mitch Minotti was caught on his back for a surprising takedown and two point near fall in the first period against Alex Pellicciotti at 149. Minotti reversed Pellicciotti to open the second period and built a 1:33 riding time advantage but a third period escape gave the Bison senior a 5-4 win.
At 141 sophomore Laike Gardner scored a third period reversal and then rode out Victor Lopez to win 3-2 and give Lehigh a 7-3 lead.
Like Cruz, freshman Brian Brill scored the first two takedowns in his match but eventually saw his bout go to overtime. Brill led Rustin Barrick 4-2 after two periods but Barrick rode brill out in the third to gain riding time, while also picking up a penalty point for stalling. Brill did manage to convert his third takedown of the match, with 25 seconds remaining in sudden victory to win 6-4.
Bucknell crept back into the match with wins at 174 and 184. At 174 freshman Elliot Riddick scored the first takedown against Stephen McPeek, but eventually ended up on the wrong end of a throw attempt as McPeek scored a takedown and three near fall points and nearly pinned Riddick. Trailing 7-4 after one period, Riddick was never able to recover as McPeek earned a 10-5 decision. Senior Austin Meys then stepped out for Lehigh at 184 in his first dual action since February 2011. Meys could not get anything going against Bucknell's Tyler Greene, who scored a first period takedown and worked a tilt for a two point near fall in the second en route to a 7-2 decision.
At 197, sophomore John Bolich gained 1:02 of riding time in the second period before allowing Tyler Lyster to escape. Bolich then chose neutral in the third and scored a takedown, which combined with the riding time advantage gave him a 3-2 win, which gave Lehigh a 17-11 win.
With Bucknell needing a six point victory at heavyweight to win the match, Lehigh sent out sophomore Max Wessell to face tenth ranked Joe Stolfi. Scoreless early in the first period Wessell and Stolfi ended up tangled up in a scramble when Wessell signaled for injury time. A takedown and three point near fall were awarded to Stolfi but a right ankle injury to Wessell would not allow him to continue as Stolfi was declared the winner by injury default at the 54 second mark, giving the Bison the win on criteria.
Lehigh will have two opportunities to rebound next weekend when the Mountain Hawks host two duals. The Mountain Hawks will host No. 17 Bloomsburg Friday at 7 p.m. inside Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall before hosting No. 1 Penn State Sunday at Stabler Arena in the 102nd meeting between the Eastern rivals. Tickets can be purchased at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-7LU-GAME during normal business hours.
Bucknell 18*, Lehigh 17
125 – Paul Petrov (Bucknell) dec. Darian Cruz (Lehigh) 6-5, t.b.
133 – Mason Beckman (Lehigh) major dec. Grim Gonzalez (Bucknell) 10-2
141 – Laike Gardner (Lehigh) dec. Victor Lopez (Bucknell) 3-2
149 – Alex Pellicciotti (Bucknell) dec. Mitch Minotti (Lehigh) 5-4
157 – Joey Napoli (Lehigh) major dec. Logan Kerin (Bucknell) 14-3
165 – Brian Brill (Lehigh) dec. Rustin Barrick (Bucknell) 6-4, s.v.**
174 – Stephen McPeek (Bucknell) dec. Elliot Riddick (Lehigh) 10-5
184 – Tyler Greene (Bucknell) dec. Austin Meys (Lehigh) 7-2
197 – John Bolich (Lehigh) dec. Tyler Lyster (Bucknell) 3-2
285 – Joe Stolfi (Bucknell) injury default Max Wessell (Lehigh) 0:54
* - Bucknell wins on second criteria (Combined total number of falls, forfeits, defaults and disqualifications.)
** - Bucknell docked one team point for unsportsmanlike conduct
Attendance: 1,531
Referee: Michael Milward
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