WVU Falls Short at No. 13 Edinboro

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (February 22, 2014) – The West Virginia University wrestling team concluded its dual match season tonight with a 29-6 loss at No. 13 Edinboro.

“Edinboro has a very nice lineup, and I thought the match would be decided in the first four weights,” says coach Craig Turnbull. “We gave it a good effort and had an opportunity. Colin (Johnston) was right there to take a big win over the top-ranked wrestler in the country at 141 pounds, and at 149 pounds, Mike (Morales) was in a position to win and wrestled very well. Now we will take a couple of days off before getting ready for Big 12 Championships.”

Freshman Cory Stainbrook (125) opened the match with a 6-4 decision over No. 17 Kory Mines. Stainbrook fell behind, giving up a takedown late in the first period. He rode Mines out for the length of the second period after Mines chose to start down. In the third, Stainbrook reversed Mines from the bottom position and turned him for a two-point nearfall. Mines would reverse Stainbrook, but it would not be enough as Stainbrook held on for the 6-4 decision.

The Mountaineers (11-7, 0-3 Big 12) trailed the Fighting Scots (11-3, 5-0 EWL) 18-3 heading into the 174-pound bout. Sophomore Bubba Scheffel tallied his team-high 29th win of the season, knocking off Patrick Jennings, 3-1. Scheffel struck first with a takedown in the final minute of the first period. Jennings started the second period down, cutting into Scheffel's lead with an escape. With a 2-1 lead and more than a minute of riding time heading into the third period, Scheffel scored an escape to earn the 3-1 decision.

No. 13 senior Colin Johnston (141) had his seven-match win streak snapped, dropping a 5-3 decision to No. 1 Mitchell Port. Johnston was taken down early in the opening period, but tallied a late escape to bring the deficit within one. Port started down in the second, earning an escape to extend his lead to 3-1. Starting neutral in the third, Johnston recorded his team-high 43rd takedown of the year to knot the score, but a quick escape from Port broke the 3-3 tie, and with the riding time advantage, gave Port the 5-3 decision.

No. 20 junior Mike Morales (149) and No. 15 Dave Habat wrestled a scoreless first period. In the second, Morales scored first with an escape from the down position. Morales wasted no time, taking Habat down to extend his lead to 3-0. In the closing seconds of the period, Habat escaped and countered with a takedown of his own to knot the bout. Morales gave up an escape to start the third period, but he retook the lead with a takedown with less than a minute remaining. Habat earned his third escape of the match to force extra time, and took Morales down in sudden victory to earn the 7-5 decision.

At heavyweight, sophomore A.J. Vizcarrondo and No. 12 Ernest James wrestled two scoreless periods before James tallied an escape from the down position to start the third. Vizcarrondo faced a 3-0 deficit after being taken to the mat with under a minute remaining in the bout, and was turned to his back for a three-point nearfall as time expired. With more than a minute of riding time, James clinched the decision, 7-0.

West Virginia concluded its dual match season with its most wins since 2012, when the Mountaineers finished 12-2. West Virginia travels to Norman, Okla., for the Big 12 Championships on March 8.

Edinboro 29 WVU 6
125: Cory Stainbrook (WVU) wins by decision over #17 Kory Mines (Edinboro), 6-4
133: #2 A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) wins by fall over Nathan Pennesi (WVU), 4:46
141: #1 Mitchell Port (Edinboro) wins by decision over No. 13 Colin Johnston (WVU), 5-3
149: #15 Dave Habat (Edinboro) wins by decision over No. 20 Mike Morales (WVU), 7-5 (SV)
157: #15 Johnny Greisheimer (Edinboro) wins by decision over Tim Wheeling (WVU), 6-0
165: Kasey Burnett-Davis (Edinboro) wins by decision over Ross Renzi (WVU), 11-6
174: Bubba Scheffel (WVU) wins by decision over Patrick Jennings (Edinboro), 3-1
184: #13 Vic Avery (Edinboro) wins by major decision over Mac Mancuso (WVU), 16-7
197: Vince Pickett (Edinboro) wins by major decision over Leo Trindade (WVU), 8-0
HWT: #14 Ernest James (Edinboro) wins by decision over A.J. Vizcarrondo (WVU), 7-0


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