Bald Eagles Go 5-1 in Session 1 at 2019 NCAA Championships
PITTSBURGH – The Lock Haven University wrestling team opened the 2019 NCAA Division I Championships with a sensational Session 1 effort that was headlined by five of six Bald Eagles posting tournament-opening wins, as the championship got underway Thursday afternoon in Pittsburgh.
DJ Fehlman (Warren, Pa./Warren) posted an upset-win at 133, while both Chance Marsteller (New Park, Pa./Kennard-Dale) and Thomas Haines (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco) recorded major decisions to highlight the opening session at PPG Paints Arena.
Kyle Shoop (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) and Corey Hazel (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) rounded out LHU’s Session 1 winners as Lock Haven went 5-1.
Alex Klucker (Summerdale, Pa./East Pennsboro) dropped his tournament-opening bout at 157.
All six Bald Eagles will be in action Thursday night during Session 2.
After returning to 133 pounds on January 25, Fehlman finished the regular season on a 10-1 run at the weight class. His only loss during that span came to Cornell’s Chas Tucker back in the dual on February 2. Fehlman avenged that loss today with a brilliant tournament-opening win. The Bald Eagle trailed 2-1 after one, but put on a tough ride in the second period. In the second, Fehlman quickly turned Tucker for four near fall points and his active and heavy pressure on top led to a stalling point. He led 6-2 after two and tacked on a riding-time point for the 7-2 victory.
Fehlman has now won 11 of his last 12 matches, all at 133 pounds since dropping back down for the Arizona State dual (Jan. 25). Today marked Fehlman’s return to the national tournament after qualifying back in 2017. Fehlman, the No. 24 seed, will take on No. 8 seed John Erneste (Missouri) tonight in the second round.
Shoop (141), who is making his third straight NCAA Tournament appearance, opened the tournament with a thrilling and workmanlike 8-7 win over Utah Valley’s Matt Findlay, the No. 20 seed. Shoop, the No. 13 seed, trailed 7-3 after one period, but scored a quick second-period takedown and shifted the momentum. Shoop’s quick takedown and a hard ride cut Findlay’s lead to 7-5 and erased a riding-time advantage. Again, Shoop struck quickly in the third and tied the bout at 7-7 with a takedown. Once again, Shoop’s dominance on top paved the way to the 8-7 win, thanks to over two minutes of riding time.
In the second round, Shoop will meet No. 4 seed Josh Alber of Northern Iowa.
Marsteller put on a clinic his tournament-opener at 165 pounds. The returning All-American and No. 5 seed used five takedowns and racked up over five minutes of riding time on the way to a 16-3 major decision over No. 28 seed Carson Brolsma (Minnesota). Marsteller scored a pair of takedowns in the first period and led 8-1 after three minutes. He racked up over two minutes of riding time in the opening period alone. After two, the lead was 11-2 and Marsteller put it away, going away, in the third with two more takedowns to highlight the win.
Hazel, the No. 16 seed at 184, earned a solid 9-3 win over No. 17 seed Andrew McNally (Kent State). After giving up an early takedown and trailing, Hazel responded in a big way. He led 3-2 after one period and extended the lead to 5-3 after two, thanks to a pair of near-fall points. Hazel powered his way to the 9-3 win thanks to a third-period escape and takedown, before he tacked on the riding-time point.
During Session 2, Hazel will take on top-seed Myles Martin of Ohio State.
Haines (285) met up with his former Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) rival Billy Miller in his opening round match and Haines, the No. 11 seed, cruised to a 13-4 major over No. 22 Miller. Miller competed at Edinboro, before transferring to Virginia Tech and him, and Haines had split their last four bouts which each winning two. Most recently, Miller won the last season’s (’18) EWL finals clash, but this time it was all about Haines.
Haines led Miller 4-0 after one period thanks to a quick takedown and two near fall points. Haines racked up 1:48 of riding time in the first. After two, the Haines’ lead was 9-2 and the Bald Eagle senior dominated the third and put it away with two more takedowns.
In the Second Round, Haines will get No. 6 seed Amar Dhesi of Oregon State.
Klucker led 7-2 after one period in his tournament-opening 157-pound pigtail, but an early second-period reversal from Duke’s Ben Anderson led to the Blue Devil win. Anderson recorded the fall at the 4:39 mark.
Klucker will match up with Brown’s Christian Labrie, the No. 30 seed from Brown tonight.
LHU’s Bout-by-Bout Results
133: No. 24 seed, R-Jr. DJ Fehlman 1-0 | 35-6
First Round vs. #9 Chas Tucker (Cornell) W, dec. 7-2
Second Round vs. #8 John Erneste (Missouri)
141: No. 13 seed, R-Jr. Kyle Shoop 1-0 | 32-6
First round vs. #20 Matt Findlay (Utah Valley) W, dec. 8-7
Second Round vs. #4 Josh Alber (Northern Iowa)
157: No. 32 seed, R-Jr. Alex Klucker 0-1 | 21-10
Pigtail vs. #33 Ben Anderson (Duke) L, pinned 4:39
Wrestleback Preliminary vs. #30 Christian Labrie (Brown)
165: No. 5 seed, R-Sr. Chance Marsteller 1-0 | 23-2
First Round vs. #28 Carson Brolsma (Minnesota) W, major dec. 16-3
Second Round vs. #21 Te’shan Campbell (Ohio State)
184: No. 16 seed, R-Jr. Corey Hazel 1-0 | 16-3
First Round vs. #17 Andrew McNally (Kent State) W, dec. 9-3
Second Round vs. No. 1 Myles Martin (Ohio State)
285: No. 11 seed, R-Sr. Thomas Haines 1-0 | 24-3
First Round vs. #22 Billy Miller (Virginia Tech) W, major dec. 13-4
Second Round vs. #6 Amar Dhesi (Oregon State)
# = NCAA Championship seed
Record = 2019 NCAA Championship record / 2019 season record
LHU NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTES:
The Bald Eagles finished 16th at the NCAA Championships a year ago … Lock Haven, better known as Mat-Town USA, is home to nine individual NCAA champions, including the legendary Gray Simons, who was a three-time NCAA champion for the Bald Eagles … Lock Haven has crowned 41 Division I All-Americans … Last season (2017-18) when Ronnie Perry and Chance Marsteller both earned All-American honors, it marked the first multiple All-American performance for the Bald Eagles since 2002 … LHU hasn’t crowned three or more All-Americans at the same NCAA Tournament since 1997 … The Bald Eagles finished fifth (54 points) at the 1997 NCAA Championships (at Northern Iowa) behind five All-American performances (1. Iowa, 2. Oklahoma State, 3. Minnesota, 4. Iowa State, 5. Lock Haven) … Since 1997, Lock Haven’s highest finish before last season’s 16th place standing was a tie for 19th in 2002 … All six 2019 NCAA qualifiers are making return trips to the tournament … Marsteller, a returning All-American at 165, headlines the veteran group … Marsteller was fourth last season, but all six Lock Haven wrestlers have national championship experience … Fehlman, Klucker, Marsteller, and Hazel are all two-time NCAA qualifiers, while both Shoop and Haines are three-time NCAA qualifiers … Full pre-tournament notes available at www.GoLHU.com.
