Miss Upset with Lake Erie

February 20, 2014

PAINESVILLE, Ohio – The West Liberty University wrestling team just missed upsetting No. 18-ranked Lake Erie here Thursday night as the host Storm came from behind in the final match to pull out a 21-19 win.

It was a bitter end to a frustrating evening for Coach Brian Davis's Hilltoppers (5-5), who battled Lake Erie (8-4) to the wire despite suffering two overtime losses and another one-point loss along with being docked two team points on conduct penalties.

The dual meet opened with the 285-pound match with West Liberty sophomore Aaron Silverio taking a 3-2 loss in the first tiebreaker. Zach Brown also took his 125-pound opponent into overtime only to fall, 6-4, in a sudden victory decision.

Bryce Gainer (133) and Daniel Carpenter (149) got WLU on the board with a pair of pins but the Storm also picked up a fall at 141.

Lake Erie picked up a one-point decision at 157 pounds but the Hilltoppers answered with three straight decisions by Mike Emery (165), Eric Antesberger (174) and Danny Doyle (184) to take a 19-15 lead into the final match of the night.

The Storm foiled West Liberty's upset bid by picking up a fall at 197 pounds just 15 seconds before the end of the first period.

The Hilltoppers will be idle next week in preparation for the NCAA Division II Super Region One Tournament. The national qualifier event will be hosted by Pitt-Johnstown on March 1-2.

No. 18 Lake Erie 21 West Liberty 19
285: Robert Zappitelli (LEC) d. Aaron Silverio, 3-2 (TB-1)
125: Keanu Thompson (LEC) d. Zach Brown, 6-4 (SV-1)
133: Bryce Gainer (WLU) p. Austin Gillihan, 6:18
141: Kager Dylan (LEC) p. Cole Nace, 3:39
149: Daniel Carpenter (WLU) p. Nick Bloch, 5:36
157: Zak Vargo (LEC) d. Bryan Skoff, 3-2
165: Mike Emery (WLU) d. Tyler Tesny, 3-1
174: Eric Antesberger (WLU) d. Jacob Brown, 6-0
184: Danny Doyle (WLU) d. Jared Merritt, 6-4
197: Evan Rosborough (LEC) p. Joey Congie, 2:45


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