LHU’s Perry, Marsteller Advance to NCAA Quarterfinals

AdminMarch 15, 2018Last Updated: March 15, 2018

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CLEVELAND – Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco) and Chance Marsteller (New Park, Pa./Kennard-Dale) both put on sensational performances in the Round of 16 and each advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals, leading the way for the Lock Haven University wrestling team tonight in Session 2 of the 2018 NCAA Division I Championships in front of 18,680 roaring fans at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

Perry (149, No. 15 seed), a redshirt-senior and three-time NCAA qualifier for LHU, booked his trip to the quarterfinals in dramatic fashion as he took down the No. 2 seed Brandon Sorensen of Iowa. Sorensen is a three-time All-American. Tomorrow in the quarterfinals Perry will meet former national champion Jason Tsirtsis, now of Arizona State.

Marsteller (165), a redshirt-junior and the No. 9 seed at 165, downed Brown’s Jonathan Viruet, 5-3 in the Round of 16 and advanced to the quarters. Marsteller’s win sets up a showdown with Isaiah Martinez of Illinois tomorrow morning. Martinez, the No. 1 seed is a two-time NCAA champion and three-time NCAA finalist.

Perry led Sorenson 1-0 after two periods thanks to a second-period escape. After Sorensen tied it 1-1 early in the third with an escape of his own, Perry’s aggressive style paid off as he scored a takedown late in the bout and led 3-1. Despite a last-second escape for Sorensen, Perry hung on for the 3-2 win, and – what to this point – stands as arguably the upset of the tournament.

Marsteller and Viruet were tied 2-2 after two, but Marsteller used a third-period escape and takedown on the way to the workmanlike 5-3 victory.

Both Corey Hazel (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) and Thomas Haines (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco) dropped their Round of 16 bouts tonight and will fall into tomorrow’s consolation wrestlebacks.

Hazel (184), an unseeded redshirt-sophomore who is making his NCAA debut, pushed No. 5 seed Domenic Abounader (Michigan) to the limit, but in the end, Abounader escaped with a slim 11-10 decision.

Haines (285), the No. 15 seed, fell to No. 2 seed Adam Coon of Michigan. Coon pinned the Bald Eagles’ redshirt-junior in 1:47.

Tomorrow morning, Hazel will take on Navy’s Michael Coleman and Haines will get Ryan Solomon of Pitt.

Perry, Marsteller, Hazel and Haines all won earlier today in Session 1. For Marsteller and Hazel, this morning marked their NCAA debut. Haines is making his second straight NCAA tournament appearance and Perry, one of 20 all-time 100-match winners for LHU, is a three-time qualifier.

During Session 1 this a.m. Perry majored Lehigh’s Cortlandt Schuyler 11-3 and Marsteller majored Indiana’s Bryce Martin 9-1. Hazel upset No. 12 seed Bryce Carr of Chattanooga 6-3 (TB-1) and Haines dropped Northwestern’s Conan Jennings 7-2.

After falling in his tournament-opening bout this morning, redshirt-sophomore Kyle Shoop (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) went 1-1 tonight during Session 2. He opened tonight’s session with his 15^th tech fall of the season, downing Appalachian State’s Irvin Enriquez 16-0 in 5:46. Shoop leads all DI wrestlers in tech falls with 15 and it is currently tied for second all-time for a single-season by any LHU wrestler. It’s also his 25^th career tech, which is already good enough for third all-time. In his second bout of the evening, Shoop was eliminated from the tournament with a 10-1 loss (major dec.) to Nick Zanetta of Pittsburgh.

Shoop, who is now a two-time NCAA qualifier, finished the season at 35-14. He’s now 1-4 all-time at the NCAA tournament and 73-31 for his career.

Alex Klucker (Summerdale, Pa./East Pennsboro) lost his match tonight in the First Round of consolation wrestlebacks. He got pinned by No. 2 seed Joye Lavallee, who was upset this morning. Klucker, a redshirt-sophomore was making his NCAA debut. He finished the season at 25-11 and is 40-26 for his career.

The 2018 NCAA Championships continue tomorrow (Friday, March 16) with Session 3. Session 3 (quarterfinals & wrestlebacks) starts at 11 a.m.

LHU match-by-match

141: Kyle Shoop

Pigtail vs. Vincent Turk (Iowa) L, 12-2 major dec.

Consolation Pigtail vs. Irvin Enriquez (Appalachian State) W, 16-0 tech fall (5:46)

Consolation First Round vs. Nick Zanetta (Pittsburgh) L, 10-1 major dec.

149: #15 Ronnie Perry

First Round vs. Cortlandt Schuyler (Lehigh) W, 11-3 major dec.

Second Round vs. #2 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) W, 3-2 dec.

157: Alex Klucker

First Round vs. #15 John Van Brill (Rutgers) L, pinned (4:21)

Consolation First Round vs. #2 Joey Lavallee (Missouri) L, pinned (1:14)