West Virginia 28 Lock Haven 12

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University wrestling team improved its record to 5-3 overall and 2-1 in the Eastern Wrestling League after its 28-12 victory over Lock Haven on Friday night.

The win featured victories by seven different Mountaineers and included four bonus point wins at the beginning of the match that gave WVU a 19-0 lead.

“When the lightweights come out, have energy like that and execute very well, it makes our guys that much more ready to go out and wrestle,” said coach Craig Turnbull. “When they give us that good battle, it can just be contagious for the entire lineup. They have a large responsibility there is no doubt about that.”

Junior Shane Young (125) got the Mountaineers on the scoreboard in the first period of his bout, as he pinned the Bald Eagle’s Bobby Rehm 2:51 into the match. Young worked a takedown on Rehm and rolled him over to secure the pin with short time on the clock.

Redshirt sophomore Nathan Pennesi (133) followed Young’s pin with a bonus point victory of his own, as he dominated Lock Haven’s John Trumbetti in a 15-0 tech fall win. The native of Latrobe, Pa., built an 8-0 lead in the first period and finished the match at the 4:43 mark. The win was Pennesi’s team-leading 22nd of the season.

“Nathan always has himself ready to wrestle,” Turnbull said. “He is adjusting to the move down to 133 pounds, and you are starting to see it in his matches. He is getting more energy out and he is looking a lot crisper. I am really pleased, and as the season goes on, he will just get stronger.”

Sophomore Michael Morales (141) and redshirt freshman Brutus Scheffel (149) extended WVU’s lead with back-to-back major decisions. Morales defeated his opponent 12-3, while a highly aggressive Scheffel won 15-4.

“Weight loss has been a problem for me lately,” said Scheffel of his energy bust. “I took a different approach with things after weigh-ins, and it allowed me to be a little quicker on the mat. It felt good to get a win since I haven’t been wrestling well lately.”

The Mountaineers dropped contests at 157 and 165 pounds, but redshirt junior Lance Bryson righted the ship with a 10-5 decision victory at 174 pounds over Aaron McKinney.

Redshirt seniors Matt Ryan (184) and Brandon Williamson (HWT) were the last WVU grapplers to notch victories on the way to the win, as Ryan took a 7-1 decision and Williamson closed out the match with a 10-3 decision.

The loss drops the Bald Eagles to 3-8 overall in dual meets and 0-3 in the EWL.

The Mountaineers have a quick turnaround, as they will travel to Rutgers on Sunday for a dual meet that is set to begin at 1 p.m. The Scarlet Knights enter the contest with a
12-4 mark in dual meets.

“It is a match that we wanted on the schedule because it adds to the strength of schedule,” Turnbull says. “We need to be ready to battle on Sunday afternoon.”

A full recap of Sunday’s action will be available on MSNsportsNET.com after the completion of competition.

Results:
125: Shane Young (WVU) def. Bobby Rehm (LHU), fall 2:51
133: Nathan Pennesi (WVU) def. John Trumbetti (LHU), 15-0, tech fall 4:43
141: Michael Morales (WVU) def. Matt Bonson (LHU), 12-3
149: Brutus Scheffel (WVU) def. William Randt (LHU), 15-4
157: Aaron Fry (LHU) def. Dominic Prezzia (WVU), 10-4
165: Seth Creasy (LHU) def. Kyle Eason (WVU), 2-0
174: Lance Bryson (WVU) def. Aaron McKinney (LHU), 10-5
184: Matt Ryan (WVU) def. Fred Garcia (LHU), 7-1
197: Matt Parlier (LHU) def. Nicholas Hylton (WVU), fall 4:36
HWT: Brandon Williamson (WVU) def. Harry Turner (LHU), 10-3