Pins power #19 LH women’s wrestling to victory over #14 East Stroudsburg
LOCK HAVEN, PA. – The No. 19 ranked Lock Haven women’s wrestling team (1-0) put on a show in a 28-19 win over visiting No. 14 East Stroudsburg (1-1) on Thursday night in Thomas Fieldhouse in a battle of two of the top-20 teams in the country.
The match kicked off the dual slate for the Bald Eagles with a win and marked the first in the new era under head coach Matt Lackey.
After a pair of forfeits at 101 and 109 lbs., the action got underway at 116-pounds. Emily Klein notched a tech fall win for the Warriors to push ESU ahead 9-5, and after another Lock Haven forfeit East Stroudsburg jumped out to an early 14-5 advantage.
At 130 pounds, Lily Sherer (Shohola, Pa./Delaware Valley) fell behind early in the first round 6-0 to Mia Macaluso. Staring down defeat against the No. 3 ranked wrestler in the country, Sherer latched onto a leg and secured a takedown before rolling her way into a pin to the delight of The Haven crowd. Sherer’s pin changed the tide of the dual and cut the Warrior advantage to 14-10.
Madison Matta (Blue Ridge, Pa./Waynesboro) kept things rolling for The Haven and grinded out a 5-0 decision victory. Leading 2-0 after the opening period, Matta fended off a deep takedown attempt before notching one of her own to secure the win.
After Matta’s win a forfeit at 143 put Lock Haven ahead 18-14.
Next up in the tidal wave of Lock Haven triumphs was 155-pounder Jessica Johnson (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) who grabbed an early takedown and bossed her way to an emphatic pin just 1:17 into the match. Johnson’s pin extended The Haven’s lead to 23-14.
A forfeit at 170 pounds brought the match score to 23-19 in favor of the Bald Eagles.
To close the night and seal the win, freshman Trinity Monaghan (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton) stepped on the mat at 191 pounds. The freshman needed only to avoid a tech fall to bring home the title, but left nothing to doubt when she secured a pin with just 20 second left in the second period. Monaghan had already locked in a 5-0 win at the time, but chose to make a statement with the late pin.
Monaghan’s pin was the Bald Eagles third on the night, and one of four victories out of five contested bouts.
Bout-by-Bout Results:
101: Haley Delia (ESU) wins on LHU forfeit / ESU 5-0
109: Kaelani Shufeldt (LHU) wins on ESU forfeit / 5-5
116: Emily Klein (ESU) tech falled Madison Packer (LHU) / 10-0 (3:33) / ESU 9-5
123: Sofia Macaluso (ESU) wins on LHU forfeit / ESU 14-5
130: Lily Sherer (LHU) pinned #3 Mia Macaluso (ESU) / (1:35) / ESU 14-10
136: Madison Matta (LHU) dec. Grace Kaczanowski (ESU) / 5-0 / ESU 14-13
143: Grace Stem (LHU) wins on ESU forfeit / LHU 18-14
155: Jessica Johnson (LHU) pinned Zoe Gress (ESU) / (1:17) / LHU 23-14
170: Sophia Lombardo (ESU) wins on LHU forfeit / LHU 23-19
191: Trinity Monaghan (LHU) pinned Shola Cascen (ESU) / (5:40) / LHU 28-19
Final Team Score: Lock Haven 28 East Stroudsburg 19
The Bald Eagles are back at home next Saturday (Nov. 19) when they host New Jersey City. That dual is set for a 7 p.m. start.
