From HiltopperSports.com - The Official Athletic Site of West Liberty University
No. 17 West Liberty Mat Squad Drops Home Finale
February 16, 2010
WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The No. 17-ranked West Liberty University wrestling team battled No. 8 Gannon down to the very last match Tuesday night before dropping a 25-16 decision in the Hilltoppers’ final home meet of the season at the ASRC.
West Liberty (7-9) dug itself into an early 12-0 hole by surrendering a forfeit and two decision losses in the first three weight classes but nearly battled all the way back.
Mitch Knapp’s first-period pin of Gannon’s Chris Boyd at 2:30 of their 197-pound match cut the visitors’ lead to 19-16 and gave Coach Brian Davis’s Hilltoppers a shot at writing a storybook ending in the final match of the night.
Unfortunately, there was no happy ending in the cards for the home team as the Golden Knights’ Frank McGrath – the region’s No. 1-ranked heavyweight – pinned West Liberty’s JD Ramsey at the 3:30 mark to clinch the victory for the visitors.
Gannon improved its dual meet record to 8-3 with its sixth straight victory.
The feature match of the night came at 149 pounds in a meeting of the region’s top two wrestlers at that weight. West Liberty’s Mitch Smith, ranked No. 1, had little trouble with Gannon’s Kevin McElhaney and breezed to an 11-3 major decision.
Also posting wins for the Hilltoppers were Kayne Melko at 157 pounds and Jarrod Shaw at 174.
Melko notched a 5-3 decision against Ted Hoag while Shaw, who was wrestling up a weight class, eked out a 3-2 decision against Bret Terry.
This was West Liberty’s final meet before competing in the NCAA Division II East Regional Championships. The regional tournament will be hosted by Pitt-Johnstown on Feb. 26-27.
No. 8 Gannon 25 No. 17 West Liberty 16
125: John Fleming (Gan) won by forfeit
133: Corey Bowers (Gan) d. Nick Wykoff (WLU), 9-4
141: AJ Milanik (Gan) d. Matt Cunningham (WLU), 5-4
149: Mitch Smith (WLU) md. Kevin McElhaney (Gan), 11-3
157: Kayne Melko (WLU) d. Ted Hoag (Gan), 5-3
165: Zach McKendree (Gan) md. Brian Leggett (WLU), 13-4
174: Jarrod Shaw (WLU) d. Bret Terry (Gan), 3-2
184: Tony Petrella (Gan) d. Matt Littleton (WLU), 5-2
197: Mitch Knapp (WLU) p. Chris Boyd (Gan), 2:30
Hwt: Frank McGrath (Gan) p. JD Ramsey (WLU), 3:30
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