Bald Eagle Grapplers Go 3-1 in Day One at Virginia Duals
HAMPTON, Va. – The No. 20/17 Lock Haven University wrestling team (7-1) went 3-1 on Friday’s opening day of the 2018 Virginia Duals and advanced to Saturday’s Silver Round Finals. LHU is now 7-1 in dual meet action this season.
The Bald Eagles went 2-1 in pool action with wins over Fresno State (W, 25-13) and Bucknell (W, 31-9). Lock Haven’s only loss came to Oklahoma (L, 21-15), who won the York River Pool. LHU’s 2-1 record was good enough for second and pushed the Bald Eagles into the Silver Round.
In the Silver Round semifinals, Lock Haven downed Tennessee at Chattanooga, 22-18, to earn a spot in Saturday’s finals. Tomorrow at 10 a.m., Lock Haven will get perennial power Iowa State in the championship of the Silver Round bracket. Iowa State defeated Old Dominion 25-12 in the other semifinal.
Leading the way for Lock Haven was the nationally-ranked duo of Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco) and Chance Marsteller (New Park, Pa./Kennard-Dale), who both went undefeated on the day. Perry, ranked No. 20, was 4-0 at 149 and Marsteller, ranked No. 7, was 4-0 at 165. Corey Hazel (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) rounded out an undefeated trio of 4-0 Bald Eagles as he also went a perfect 4-0 on the day, competing at 184 pounds.
Both Kyle Shoop (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) and Alex Klucker (Summerdale, Pa./East Pennsboro) were 3-1 on the day competing at 141 and 157, respectively.
Lock Haven opened the day with a dominating 25-13 win over Fresno State. The Bald Eagles won seven of 10 bouts in the first ever meeting between the two schools. Leading the way Shoop who recorded tech fall at 141. Both 133-pounder DJ Fehlman (Warren, Pa./Warren) and Hazel (184) recorded major decisions. After the Bulldogs posted a win at 125 in the dual’s opening bout, LHU rattled off seven straight wins (133-184) as the Bald Eagles cruised to victory.
In the second match of the day, perennial power Oklahoma edged Lock Haven, 21-15, after a win at 285 in the dual’s final bout. Both teams won five bouts, but Sooner-pins at 125 and 285 turned out be a big difference in the outcome. Shoop and Perry rattled off back-to-back wins at 141 and 149, and Marsteller grinded out another solid victory at 165. After Jared Siegrist (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) nearly upset No. 11 Yoanser Mejias at 174, Hazel (184) and Tristan Sponseller (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) picked up wins. Sponseller’s win at 197 tied the meet at 15-15, but Oklahoma sealed it with a win in the final bout at 285.
The Bald Eagles followed up their first loss of the season with a dominating effort. Lock Haven won eight of 10 bouts and cruised by local-rival Bucknell, 31-9. Perry (149), Klucker (157), Marsteller (165) and Siegrist (174) all won by major decision and the Bald Eagles rattled off six straight wins from 149-197.
With the win over Bucknell, LHU finished second in the York River Pool after going 2-1. The Bald Eagles moved into the Silver Round and met up with Chattanooga in the semifinals.
Lock Haven rolled by Chattanooga, 22-18. The Bald Eagles won six of 10 bouts, but the six wins came in the first eight bouts of the dual. LHU led 22-6 after eight bouts and before the Mocs grabbed the final 12 points by way of LHU forfeits at 197 and 285. Josiah Kline (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge) got the dual off to a thrilling start with a pin. Kline found himself down 12-5 before he used a big move to set up the fall (2:31) and give LHU the important 6-0 lead. Marsteller helped stretch the Lock Haven lead with another win at 165 – this time by way of major decision.
With his 4-0 day, Marsteller moved to 28-1 on the season and the four wins for Perry, pushed his career win total to 90.
Friday marked the Bald Eagles 17th appearance at the Virginia Duals and they moved to 33-31 all-time at the premier dual-meet tournament.
The 2018 Virginia Duals continue Saturday. Lock Haven will be in action at 10 a.m. vs. Iowa State.
Bout-by-Bout results:
Lock Haven 25 – Fresno State 13
125: Sean Williams (Fresno State) major dec. Luke Werner (Lock Haven) 15-5
133: DJ Fehlman (Lock Haven) major dec. Trevor Williams (Fresno State) 10-2
141: Kyle Shoop (Lock Haven) tech fall Chris Deloza (Fresno State) 18-2
149: #20 Ronnie Perry (Lock Haven) dec. Khristian Olivas (Fresno State) 6-4
157: Alex Klucker (Lock Haven) dec. Greg Gaxiola (Fresno State) 9-2
165: #7 Chance Marsteller (Lock Haven) dec. Isaiah Hokit (Fresno State) 10-4
174: Jared Siegrist (Lock Haven) dec. Dominic Kincaid (Fresno State) 10-3
184: Corey Hazel (Lock Haven) major dec. Angel Solis (Fresno State) 11-3
197: Josh Hokit (Fresno State) dec. Tristan Sponseller (Lock Haven) 8-4
285: AJ Nevills (Fresno State) won by forfeit
Oklahoma 21 – Lock Haven 15
125: #19 Christian Moody (Oklahoma) pinned Josiah Kline (Lock Haven) 1:57
133: Jacob Rubio (Oklahoma) dec. DJ Fehlman (Lock Haven) 5-3
141: Kyle Shoop (Lock Haven) dec. Mike Longo (Oklahoma) 10-8
149: #20 Ronnie Perry (Lock Haven) dec. Davion Jeffries (Oklahoma) 6-1
157: Justin Thomas (Oklahoma) dec. Alex Klucker (Lock Haven) 8-7
165: #7 Chance Marsteller (Lock Haven) dec. DaWaylong Barnes (Oklahoma) 5-4
174: No. 11 Yoanse Mejias (Oklahoma) dec. Jared Siegrist (Lock Haven) 6-5
184: Corey Hazel (Lock Havcen) dec. Matt Waddell (Oklahoma) 9-8
197: Tristan Sponseller (Lock Haven) dec. Andrew Dixon (Oklahoma) 5-3
285: Conor Webb (Oklahoma) pinned Derek Dragon (Lock Haven) 4:36
Lock Haven 31 – Bucknell 9
125: Luke Werner (Lock Haven) dec. Geo Barzona (Bucknell) 2-0
133: DJ Fehlman (Lock Haven) dec. Joey Gould (Bucknell) 5-4 TB-1
141: #14 Tyler Smith (Bucknell) tech fall Kyle Shoop (Lock Haven) 18-3
149: #20 Ronnie Perry (Lock Haven) major dec. Seth Hogue (Bucknell) 14-3
157: Alex Klucker (Lock Haven) major dec. Christian Bassolino (Bucknell) 8-0
165: #7 Chance Marsteller (Lock Haven) major dec. DJ Hollingshead (Bucknell) 12-3
174: Jared Siegrist (Lock Haven) major dec. Frank Guida (Bucknell) 12-4
184: Corey Hazel (Lock Haven) dec. Drew Phipps (Bucknell) 3-2
197: Trey Hartsock (Lock Haven) won by forfeit
285: Brandon Stokes (Bucknell) major dec. Derek Dragon (Lock Haven) 13-1
Lock Haven 22 – Chattanooga 18
125: Josiah Kline (Lock Haven) pinned Alonzo Allen (Chattanooga) 2:31
133: Chris Debien (Chattanooga) dec. DJ Fehlman (Lock Haven) 10-4
141: Kyle Shoop (Lock Haven) dec. Mike Pongracz (Chattanooga) 3-2
149: #20 Ronnie Perry (Lock Haven) dec. Zach Shareef (Chattanooga) 9-2
157: Alex Klucker (Lock Haven) dec. Dylan Forzani (Chattanooga) 8-6
165: #7 Chance Marsteller (Lock Haven) major dec. Chad Pyke (Chattanooga) 12-4
174: Justin Lampe (Chattanooga) dec. Jared Siegrist (Lock Haven) 7-3
184: Corey Hazel (Lock Haven) dec. Rod Jones (Chattanooga) 4-2
197: Bryce Carr (Chattanooga) won by forfeit
285: Scottie Boykin (Chattanooga) won by forfeit
