LHU wrestling falls to Spartans, 24-12
LOCK HAVEN – The Lock Haven University wrestling team (1-2) dropped its much anticipated 2016-17 home-opener to visiting Michigan State (2-0), 24-12. The Spartans won the close bouts early on, opening a 21-0 lead.
The Bald Eagles got a hard-fought win from Tyler Wood (West Chester, Pa./West Chester-Rustin) at 174 and Tristan Sponseller (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) and nationally-ranked Thomas Haines (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco) were dominant and put on clinics in victories at 197 and 285, respectively, but it wasn’t enough to carry Lock Haven to victory tonight.
All three of Lock Haven’s wins came in the final four bouts and although the Bald Eagles rallied for bonus points thanks to Sponseller’s major decision and Haines’ tech fall, the early deficit was too much to overcome.
LHU was in search of its second straight win over the Spartans after defeating Michigan State 18-15 last season (February 12, 2016). Lock Haven also hoping to knock off a Big Ten team for the third consecutive match as well, after defeating Maryland last weekend, but Michigan State’s start tonight proved too strong.
The Spartans won the first six bouts of the dual, picking up bonus points in two of those wins as they raced out to a 21-0 lead.
It was a busy afternoon and evening for Michigan State as the Spartans took on Bloomsburg University earlier today 60-some miles to the east. Michigan State won eight of 10 bouts in the match and took down Bloomsburg (3-4), 31-12.
At Lock Haven, MSU went up 3-0 after Mitch Rogaliner opened the dual with an 8-5 victory over Jake Field (South Elgin, Ill./Marmion Academy) in an overtime-thriller. The two were deadlocked at 4-4 at the end of regulation, but Rogaliner gained the upper hand, and sealed it with a four-point move thanks to a reversal and back points during extra time.
The Spartans picked up a major decision at 133 after nationally-ranked Austin Eicher won and at 141, Javier Gasca, ranked as high as No. 9 in some national polls knocked off Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco) in the night’s premier bout. Perry, also nationally ranked, looked poised for the upset and led 7-6 late in the third on an escape, but Gasca’s last-second takedown pushed him to the win.
Michigan State posted wins at 149, 157 and 165 and led 21-0 after the opening six bouts.
Wood put the Bald Eagles on the board with a 6-1 victory at 174. He led 2-0 after one period and 3-0 after two. Wood picked up another takedown in the third and tacked on a riding-time point after a 2:29 advantage.
At 184, Corey Hazel (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) was edged 8-6 in overtime, marking his first loss of the season.
Lock Haven closed the dual with dominating wins by Sponseller and Haines.
Sponseller majored Matt Okaiye 13-2 at 197. He led 8-0 after one period and stretched it to an 11-2 lead after two. Sponseller racked up 5:22 of riding time in a clinical effort.
Haines closed the match with a 15-0 (7:00) tech fall win over Jacob Cooper. After a scoreless opening period, Haines went to work. He led 7-0 after two periods and his four near-fall points at the buzzer – as he was looking for the fall – pushed him to the dominating 15-0 tech fall win – much to the delight of the large home crowd that watched Haines make his Thomas Fieldhouse debut.
Tonight’s loss moves Lock Haven to 1-2 on the season, while Michigan State moved to 2-0.
Up next:
The Bald Eagles are right back at it tomorrow (Sunday, November 27) as Lock Haven hosts the 11thannual Mat-Town Open. Action gets underway at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. At press time, there were 157 wrestlers registered both attached and unattached from 18 different schools and several elite clubs.
On the horizon:
Next weekend the Bald Eagles are set to open Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) action. Lock Haven will host Rider on Saturday, December 3 at 6:30 p.m. and hosts George Mason on Sunday, December 4 at 12 p.m.
Michigan State 24 – Lock Haven 12
125: Mitch Rogaliner (MSU) dec. Jake Field (LHU) 8-5 (OT); MSU leads 3-0
133: Austin Eicher (MSU) major dec. Joe Ghione (LHU) 8-0; MSU leads 7-0
141: Javier Gasca (MSU) dec. Ronnie Perry (LHU) 9-7; MSU leads 10-0
149: Nick Trimble (MSU) dec. Kyle Shoop (LHU) 4-3; MSU leads 13-0
157: Austin Thompson (MSU) dec. Kyle Hammond (LHU) 8-2; MSU leads 16-0
165: Drew Hughes (MSU) tech fall Jared Siegrist (LHU) 16-0 (4:30); MSU leads 21-0
174: Tyler Wood (LHU) dec. Shane Shadaia (MSU) 6-1; MSU leads 21-3
184: Shwan Shadaia (MSU) dec. Corey Hazel (LHU) 8-6 (OT); MSU leads 24-3
197: Tristan Sponseller (LHU) major dec. Matt Okaiye (MSU) 13-2; MSU leads 24-7
285: Thomas Haines (LHU) tech fall Jacob Cooper (MSU) 15-0 (7:00); MSU wins 24-12
