Mountaineers Fall to Rival
By Daniel Whitehead
WVU Sports Information Office
February 04, 2011
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A pin by Pitt’s No. 4-ranked Ryan Tomei over West Virginia’s Kyle Rooney allowed the No. 20 Panthers to secure a 21-14 victory over the Mountaineers Friday night at Fitzgerald Field House.
With the loss, the Mountaineers fall to 7-5 overall and 3-1 in the Eastern Wrestling League while Pitt improves to 10-6, 3-0 in the EWL.
“We lost to a better wrestling team tonight,” says WVU coach Craig Turnbull. “If we could do it over, I think it could go a different way but they earned it and you usually get what you earn.”
Pitt’s No. 20-ranked Anthony Zanetta defeated Shane Young by a 5-3 decision score after Zanetta scored a takedown late in the first period and had over two minutes of riding time to earn the win.
After a slow start, WVU’s No.13-ranked Nathan Pennesi earned two takedowns in the third period against Pitt freshman Shelton Mack to get a 5-2 decision victory. The second takedown occurred just five seconds before the final buzzer to secure the win and even the score at 3-3.
Panther Tyler Nauman, ranked No. 6 in the country, earned a victory by fall in 4:02 over freshman Michael Morales to boost the Pitt lead to 9-3. With a WVU unsportsmanlike penalty to deduct a team point, the Panthers led 9-2 after three bouts.
Redshirt senior Brandon Rader earned a close 5-4 decision win over Pitt’s Dane Johnson to cut the Pitt lead to 9-5. Rader picked up a takedown with just 30 seconds remaining in the final period to get the win. He also had an escape point and takedown in the second period.
Pitt’s No. 32-ranked Donnie Tasser then increased the Panther lead to 12-5 with a 3-0 decision over redshirt junior Ryan Goodman. Tasser had two escape points in the bout and 1:50 of riding time.
No. 24-ranked Donnie Jones cut the lead to 12-8 with a 3-2 decision win over Pitt’s No. 21 Ethan Headlee. Jones received takedown points early in the first period and held on to gain 1:04 of riding time for the win.
At 174 pounds, WVU’s Alex Meade had a late takedown over Andy Vaughan to get a 7-4 decision victory and trim the Panther lead to 12-11. Meade earned two takedowns in the opening period, an escape in the second and secured the win with the late takedown.
WVU’s No. 20 Matt Ryan lost a close bout to No. 19 Max Thomusseit, falling by a 7-5 decision. Ryan tallied three escape points in the matchup and a takedown midway through the final period, but could not overcome three Thomusseit takedowns and riding time.
Cameron Gallaher started his third dual meet for the Mountaineers and cut the Pitt lead to 15-14 with a 2-0 decision score over Phil Sorrentino. After an escape in the second period, Gallaher earned a point for 1:51 of riding time
“They came out on top in the close matches that we needed to win,” Turnbull says. “They did a nice job. Hopefully we’ll learn from it and be better.”
The Mountaineers next face Ohio at the WVU Coliseum for the second home meet of the year on Sat., Feb. 12, at 7 p.m.
No. 20 Pitt 21, WVU 14
125: No. 20 Anthony Zanetta (So., 11-10) dec. No. 18 Shane Young (So., 23-7), 3-5
133: No. 13 Nathan Pennesi (r-Fr., 21-4) dec. Shelton Mack (Fr. 11-12), 5-2
141: No. 6 Tyler Nauman (r-Jr., 18-3) won by fall Michael Morales (Fr., 13-9), 4:02
149: No. 20 Brandon Rader (r-Sr., 10-7) dec. Dane Johnson (r-Fr., 15-14), 5-4
157: No. 32 Donnie Tasser (r-So., 15-14) dec. Ryan Goodman (r-Jr., 10-14), 0-3
165: No. 24 Donnie Jones (r-Sr., 14-3) dec. No. 21 Ethan Headlee (r-Jr., 22-9), 3-2
174: Alex Meade (r-So., 3-2) dec. Andy Vaughan (Sr., 12-8), 7-4
184: No. 19 Max Thomusseit (Fr., 22-9) dec. No. 20 Matt Ryan (r-Jr., 15-5), 5-7
197: Cameron Gallaher (r-Fr., 11-4) dec. Phil Sorrentino (Sr., 1-5), 2-0
HWT: No. 4 Ryan Tomei (r-Sr., 22-4) won by fall Kyle Rooney (Sr., 8-8), 4:31
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