The Mountain Hawks quickly evened the score when Frank Cagnina
scored a 12-4 major decision over Shelton
Mack.
Pitt wrestled the competition without its top ranked grappler, Tyler Nauman, who was forced to sit out the match due to an injury. Freshman Mike Tully replaced Nauman in the lineup.
Junior Zac Thomusseit recorded the other Panther victory, defeating Joe Kennedy, 7-4. With the score tied at 3-3, Thomusseit was able to get a takedown followed by a near-fall in the third period to secure the victory.
In a matchup that featured two of the top heavyweights in the country, Lehigh’s Zach Rey was able to pick up an escape in overtime that would turn out to be the decider, as Rey defeated Ryan Tomei, 2-1, in a very tightly contested match. Rey entered the contest as the No.1 ranked heavyweight, while Tomei was ranked No. 11.
“I thought Ryan fought hard tonight and wrestled well enough to win,” Stottlemyer added. “Ryan’s a real competitor, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he faced Zach (Rey) later in the year at the NCAA’s.”
The announced attendance was 562. The match will air on the Pitt Panthers television network on Sunday during the regularly scheduled eight hours of air time (11 a.m. - 7 p.m.).
The Panthers will have a short break before traveling to Ann Arbor, Mich. when they take on No. 18 Michigan on Sunday, Nov. 14. Match time is at 2 p.m.
Lehigh 29 Pitt 7:
125 – Zanetta (P) maj. dec. Berger (L), 17-4.
133 – Cagnina (L) maj. dec. Mack (P), 12-4.
141 – Dutton (L) maj. dec. Tully (P), 15-2.
149 – Napoli (L) dec. Johnson, (P)5-1.
157 – Bilodeau (L) FALL D. Tasser (P) (6:16)
165 – Hatchett (L) dec. Counterman (P), 5-1.
174 – Keys (L) dec. Headlee (P), 6-4.
184 – Hamlin (L) dec. M. Thomusseit (P), 10-8.
197 – Z. Thomusseit (P) dec. Kennedy (L), 7-4
HWT – Rey (L) dec. Tomei (P), 2-1 (OT)