Tournament Information and Live Results
DES MOINES, Iowa. – The seventh-ranked Kutztown University wrestling team won two matches over nationally-recognized programs to advance to the third round of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Duals on Saturday.
The Golden Bears (5-2) opened the day with a thrilling 24-18 victory over Truman State University, who received votes in the latest national coaches' poll. Following a 37-3 temporary setback to fifth-ranked St. Cloud State, who has won a Division II record 54 consecutive matches, Kutztown rallied from a deficit over eighth-ranked Indianapolis for another 24-18 victory.
With the pair of victories, the Golden Bears advance to the final day of the national invitational tournament. KU will wrestle 17th-ranked Lake Erie College at 10 a.m. eastern time on Sunday, Jan. 12. With a win, Kutztown would seal at least a seventh place finish to earn a medal, and would then compete in the fifth place match at 2 p.m.
"Our day started off great against Truman State," head coach
Robert Fisher said. "It was a total team effort from the start, and a monumental victory. It is a great day for our program to be in the national spotlight, and now tomorrow we get the opportunity to compete and be a medalist for the second year in a row.
"
Nick Lamoreaux (Bethesda, MD/Milton Hershey) was phenomenal for us today," Fisher continued. "He went up against two of the best 125-pounders in the country, and held them both to decisions. Not allowing the second-ranked wrestler in the country (Indianapolis) to score any bonus points played a significant role in our success today."
KU vs. Truman State
With the match tied heading into the final bout,
Ziad Haddad (Orefield, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic (North Carolina)) pinned his opponent in 2:02 to lift Kutztown to a 24-18 win over Truman State University in the first round on Saturday morning.
Truman State was the first to light up the scoreboard in the opening 125-pound match. Jabez Zinabu won a 6-3 decision over KU's
Nick Lamoreaux (Bethesda, MD/Milton Hershey) to go up 3-0.
Kutztown retaliated with victories in the next two bouts. In his first action of the year, redshirt junior
Brandon Davis (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) won a tight 6-5 decision over Rafeal Lopez to open up the scoring.
Mitch Voelker (Shoemakersville, PA/Schuylkill Valley) followed up with a pin at 141 pounds (2:05), putting KU up 9-3.
Redshirt freshman
Joe Esposito (Washington Township, N.J./Saint Augustine Prep) has gotten off to a solid start this season for the Maroon and Gold (10-5), however TSU's sixth-ranked Ryan Maus was too much to handle, executing a quick pin on Esposito, knotting up the score at 9-9.
Veteran
Matt Martoccio (Kintnersville, Pa./Council Rock South) regained the lead for KU at 157 pounds with a 5-3 decision. However, KU was put right back on its heels when Devon Fenstermaker pinned KU's
Justin Heller (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) at 165 pounds to go up 15-12.
Kutztown responded with two straight decision wins to grab a three-point lead of its own.
Andrew Kinney (Spring City, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) grabbed the 6-1 decision at 174 pounds and senior
Giovanni Ortiz (Reading, PA/Reading) won 2-0 at 184 pounds.
With just two bouts to go, TSU stayed alive at 197 pounds, securing the 5-2 decision over KU's
Brandan Clark (Audubon, Pa./Methacton) to knot the score up at 18-18, giving the opportunity for Haddad to step on the mat and bring home the triumphant victory for Kutztown.
KU vs. #5 St. Cloud State
The Golden Bears progressed to the quarterfinals and dropped a 37-3 decision to fifth-ranked St. Cloud State.
Bo Candelaria (Reading, Pa./Middletown) won the lone match for Kutztown against fourth-ranked Gabe Fogarty. Kutztown went up against four nationally-ranked wrestlers of St. Cloud State. SCSU has now won an NCAA Division II record 54 consecutive dual matches.
KU vs. #8 Indianapolis
The Golden Bears won the final three bouts, including a pin by
Brandan Clark (Audubon, Pa./Methacton) at 197 to earn a 24-18 win over eighth-ranked Indianapolis.
Mitch Voelker (Shoemakersville, PA/Schuylkill Valley) also won by fall.
Lamoreaux opened the match against Alex Johns, the second-ranked 125-pounder in Division II. Despite a 6-1 loss, Lamoreaux did not allow Johns to pick up any bonus points in the match-opening bout.
Indianapolis won 133 due to injury, as Voelker's pin at 141 brought Kutztown's deficit to 9-6. Kutztown won two of the next three bouts by decision to tie the match at 12-12.
Matt Martoccio (Kintnersville, Pa./Council Rock South) and
Justin Heller (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) both won by decision in their mid-match bouts.
An Indianapolis fall at 174 gave it an 18-12 lead, which was followed by a win by decision by
Giovanni Ortiz (Reading, PA/Reading), a pin by Clark in 2:09, and a match-clinching 9-2 decision by
Ziad Haddad (Orefield, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic (North Carolina)).
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#7 Kutztown vs Truman State |
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Match Summary |
KU |
TSU |
|
125 |
Jabez Zinabu (TSU) over N. Lamoreaux (KU) Dec 6-3 |
0 |
3 |
|
133 |
B. Davis (KU) over Rafael Lopez (Truman State) Dec 6-5 |
3 |
3 |
|
141 |
M. Voelker (KU) over M. Smith (Truman State) Fall 2:05 |
9 |
3 |
|
149 |
#6 Ryan Maus (TSU) over J. Esposito (KU) Fall 1:09 |
9 |
9 |
|
157 |
M. Martoccio (KU) over C. Schmitz (Truman State) Dec 5-3 |
12 |
9 |
|
165 |
Devon Fenstermaker (TSU) over J. Heller (KU) Fall 5:00 |
12 |
15 |
|
174 |
A. Kinney (KU) over C. Wrisinger (Truman State) Dec 6-1 |
15 |
15 |
|
184 |
G. Ortiz (KU) over Ryan Ward (Truman State) Dec 2-0 |
18 |
15 |
|
197 |
Helmut Rentschler (TSU) over B. Clark (KU) Dec 5-2 |
18 |
18 |
|
285 |
#1 Z. Haddad (KU) over Ben Dudley (TSU) Fall 2:02 |
24 |
18 |
|
Dual Meet Score |
24 |
18 |
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#7 Kutztown vs #5 St. Cloud State |
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Match Summary |
KU |
SCSU |
|
125 |
Tanner Johnshoy (SCSU) over N. Lamoreaux (KU) Fall 3:26 |
0 |
6 |
|
133 |
#2 Andy Pokorny (SCSU) over B. Davis (KU) TF 18-0 |
0 |
11 |
|
141 |
Mike Rhone (SCSU) over M. Voelker (KU) Dec 10-8 |
0 |
14 |
|
149 |
Josh Howk (SCSU) over J. Esposito (KU) Fall 4:02 |
0 |
20 |
|
157 |
#4 Clint Poster (SCSU) over M. Martoccio (KU) Dec 3-1 |
0 |
23 |
|
165 |
B. Candelaria (KU) over #4 Gabe Fogarty (SCSU) Dec 7-4 |
3 |
23 |
|
174 |
Clayton Jennissen (SCSU) over A. Kinney (KU) Dec 7-2 |
3 |
26 |
|
184 |
Dylon Braun (SCSU) over G. Ortiz (KU) Dec 2-1 |
3 |
29 |
|
197 |
Chris Brassell SCSU) over B. Clark (KU) Dec 2-0 |
3 |
32 |
|
285 |
Austin Goergen (SCSU) over D. Ortiz (KU) TF 16-1 |
3 |
37 |
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Dual Meet Score |
3 |
37 |
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#8 Indianapolis vs #7 Kutztown |
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Match Summary |
Indy |
KU |
|
125 |
#2 Alex Johns (Indy) over N. Lamoreaux (KU) Dec 6-1 |
3 |
0 |
|
133 |
Joshua Kieffer (Indy) over B. Davis (KU) Inj 4:09 |
9 |
0 |
|
141 |
M. Voelker (KU) over Andrew Frey (Indy) Fall 2:12 |
9 |
6 |
|
149 |
#4 Cameryn Brady (Indy) over J. Esposito (KU) Dec 8-2 |
12 |
6 |
|
157 |
M. Martoccio (KU) over Sheldon Struble (Indy) Dec 4-2 |
12 |
9 |
|
165 |
J. Heller (KU) over Jeff Weiss (Indy) Dec 7-6 |
12 |
12 |
|
174 |
Shelby Mappes (Indy) over B. Candelaria (KU) Fall 1:06 |
18 |
12 |
|
184 |
G. Ortiz (KU) over George Lopez (Indy) Dec 5-2 |
18 |
15 |
|
197 |
B. Clark (KU) over Taylor Scott (Indy) Fall 2:09 |
18 |
21 |
|
285 |
#1 Z. Haddad (KU) over Evan Wooding (Indy) Dec 9-2 |
18 |
24 |
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Dual Meet Score |
18 |
24 |
