Edinboro Escapes With Close Win
By Daniel Whitehead
WVU Sports Information Office
February 18, 2011
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – An Edinboro decision victory at 197 pounds by No. 24 Shawn Fendone over West Virginia senior Kyle Rooney allowed the Fighting Scots to gain a 16-15 advantage on its way to a 22-15 win over the Mountaineers Friday night at the WVU Coliseum.
With the loss, WVU falls to 8-6, 3-2 in the Eastern Wrestling League while Edinboro improves to 9-9-1, 4-1 in the EWL.
Michael Morales
“We had opportunities to get the win and we wrestled 80 percent of the time, but this one got away from us,” says WVU coach Craig Turnbull. “The effort was there, but we didn’t close it out and they earned the win.”
Sophomore Shane Young grabbed quick points for West Virginia with a victory by fall over Edinboro’s Bijan Banks in 2:35 to give the Mountaineers a 6-0 lead after the first bout.
No. 15 Eric Morrill of Edinboro cut the WVU lead to 6-3 with a 6-3 decision win over No. 13 Nathan Pennesi. Pennesi earned three escape points in the bout but could not overcome three Morrill takedowns in the loss.
WVU freshman Michael Morales increased the lead to 9-3 with a 3-1 decision over Fighting Scot Kasey Davis. Morales received an escape point and takedown late in the third period to earn the victory.
At 149 pounds, Edinboro’s No. 15 Torsten Gillespie earned an 11-6 decision win over WVU’s No. 20 Brandon Rader after picking up three near-fall points in the final period along with a takedown and escape. Rader had two reversals and a takedown in the match.
“Brandon (Rader) was thinking a little too much offensively instead of countering Edinboro’s single attack, so that match got away from us,” Turnbull says.
Edinboro took control of the match by a 10-9 score when No. 23 Johnny Greisheimer earned a 12-2 major decision over WVU redshirt junior Ryan Goodman. After a Goodman takedown, Greisheimer had three near-fall points and three takedowns en route to the win.
West Virginia regained the lead by a 12-10 score after No. 20 Donnie Jones picked up a 13-7 decision win over Ethan Saylor. Jones earned six takedowns in the bout and 2:19 of riding time in the win while Saylor had seven escapes.
Alex Meade then earned an 11-6 decision win over Edinboro’s Chris Hrunka at 174 pounds to increase the WVU lead to 15-10 with three bouts remaining. Meade had five takedowns in the match and an escape point while Hrunka earned six escapes.
Edinboro’s No. 1-ranked Chris Honeycutt trimmed the WVU lead to 15-13 with a 5-2 decision over WVU’s No. 20 Matt Ryan. While Ryan had two escape points, Honeycutt had two takedowns in the opening period and an escape in the third for an Edinboro victory.
Senior Kyle Rooney lost a close 3-2 decision to Edinboro’s No. 24 Shawn Fendone as the Fighting Scots regained the lead at 16-15 with one bout remaining. After two scoreless periods, Rooney earned a takedown before Fendone was able to reverse it to tie it up. Fendone’s 2:21 of riding time made the difference in the match.
A pin by Edinboro’s Ernest James over WVU heavyweight Philip Mandzik secured a 22-15 win for the Fighting Scots.
The Mountaineers resume EWL action tomorrow night against Cleveland State at 7 p.m. at the WVU Coliseum.
No. 20 Edinboro 22, WVU 15
125: No. 21 Shane Young (So., 25-7) won by fall Bijan Banks (r-Fr., 0-21), 2:35
133: No. 15 Eric Morrill (Sr., 19-8) dec. No. 13 Nathan Pennesi (r-Fr., 22-5), 3-6
141: Michael Morales (Fr., 14-10) dec. Kasey Davis (Fr., 18-13), 3-1
149: No. 15 Torsten Gillespie (Jr., 18-8) dec. No. 20 Brandon Rader (r-Sr., 11-8), 6-11
157: No. 23 Johnny Greisheimer (So., 20-11) maj. dec. Ryan Goodman (r-Jr., 11-15), 2-12
165: No. 20 Donnie Jones (r-Sr., 16-3) dec. Ethan Saylor (Fr., 6-19), 13-7
174: Alex Meade (r-So., 4-2) dec. Chris Hrunka (Jr., 14-16), 11-6
184: No. 1 Chris Honeycutt (Jr., 23-0) dec. No. 20 Matt Ryan (r-Jr., 16-6), 2-5
197: No. 24 Shawn Fendone (Sr., 22-9) dec. Kyle Rooney (Sr., 8-10), 2-3
HWT: Ernest James (r-Fr., 15-13) won by fall Philip Mandzik (Jr., 8-17), 4:37
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