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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Down 13-9 after the first seven bouts, the Kutztown University wrestling team received three clutch victories in the final three weight classes to earn the come-from-behind victory on Saturday over Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opponent Seton Hill University, 24-13.
 
Keystone Arena was filled with alumni and Golden Bear faithful on Saturday as the team honored long-time coach Dan Hinkel for his 50 years of service to the KU wrestling program. During pregame celebrations, Hinkel was presented with a framed singlet and a scholarship raised in his name.
 
The two squads battled back and forth with small-margin victories throughout the first seven bouts. Seton Hill (4-2, 2-2 PSAC) won four of the first seven, and a major-decision victory in the opening bout put the Griffins up 13-9.
 
Kutztown's (6-5, 2-0) Andre Petroski squared off against Seton Hill's Christian Bosco at 184 pounds in a momentum-swinging bout. Petroski dominated for the first 6:07 before executing a pin to give KU a crucial six points.
 
Brandan Clark and Morris Lawson battled to the very end at 197 pounds, with Clark coming out the victor. Lawson took a 6-3 lead after an action-packed first round, but Clark knotted things up with a three-point nearfall in the second. The final buzzer rang, and Clark's 1:13 of riding time gave him the 7-6 advantage.
 
Top-ranked heavyweight Ziad Haddad closed things out on a high note, pinning SHU's Alex Soutiere in 30 seconds, securing Kutztown the team win.
 
Sophomore Trent Clifford put Kutztown on the board in the 133-pound bout, fending off Collin Dees in the third period for a 5-4 decision.
 
Joe Esposito and Matt Martoccio locked down back-to-back wins at 149 and 157 pounds, respectively. Esposito led 5-3 at the onset of the third period until he rocked SHU's Ty Lydic with a big takedown that got the crowd on its feet. He held off his opponent for a 7-4 decision. Martoccio and Zak Voytek competed in a low-scoring battle at 157 pounds, with Voytek up 1-0 entering the final period. Martoccio chose neutral to start and took down Voytek to gain the lead. Voytek escaped, but Martoccio's 2:02 of riding time earned him the 3-2 decision.
 
Haddad improves to 17-0 on the season, while Petroski and Martoccio each recorded their 15th victories.
 
Kutztown will return to Keystone Arena next Saturday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. for a nonconference faceoff with American International.
 

Final Results - #13 Kutztown 24, Seton Hill 13
WT.	Name	Score
125	Mike Soria (SHU) maj. dec Nicholas DeMarco (KU), 11-1	4-0 SHU
133	Trent Clifford (KU) dec. Collin Dees (SHU), 5-4	4-3 SHU
141	Patrick Owens (SHU) dec. Matt Benvenuto (KU), 1-0	7-3 SHU
149	Joe Esposito (KU) dec. Ty Lydic (SHU), 7-4	7-6 SHU
157	Matt Martoccio (KU) dec. Zach Voytek (SHU), 3-2	9-7 KU
165	Ryan Walters (SHU) dec. Bo Candelaria (KU), 5-3	10-9 SHU
174	Brett Smith (SHU) dec. Ryan Krecker (KU), 6-5	13-9 SHU
184	Andre Petroski (KU) pinned Christian Bosco (SHU), 6:07	15-13 KU
197	Brandan Clark (KU) dec. Morris Lawson (SHU), 7-6	18-13 KU
285	#1 Ziad Haddad (KU) pinned Alex Soutiere (SHU), 0:30	24-13 KU

 
Play-by-Play Summary:
 
 
125 - Nicholas DeMarco (KU) vs. Mike Soria (SHU)
 
Soria earns first takedown of match 1:45 into first period to take 2-0 lead…Soria follows takedown with a three-point nearfall, lead 5-0 after first period…DeMarco on top to start second period…Soria escapes 15 seconds into second period to take 6-0 lead…Soria secures takedown at edge of mat midway through second period for 8-0 lead…Soria caution on restart…Soria leads 8-0 with 1:52 riding time after second period…DeMarco chooses bottom to start third period…DeMarco escapes 20 seconds into third period to cut deficit to 8-1…Soria secures takedown with 10 seconds left in third period, finishes with 2:25 of riding time for 11-1 major decision.
 
Seton Hill leads match, 4-0.
 
 
133 - Trent Clifford (KU) vs. Collin Dees (SHU)
 
Clifford battles for first takedown of match two minutes into first period for 2-0 lead…action stopped and brought back to middle with 49 seconds left in period…Clifford leads 2-0 after first period…Dees defers, Clifford chooses bottom to start second period…Dees takes away all riding time, but Clifford reverses in final 20 seconds of second period to take 4-0 lead after two periods…Dees chooses bottom to start third…Dees escapes to draw within 4-1 with 1:30 to go…Dees takedown with 1:10 to go to come within one at 4-3…Dees lets Clifford up for 5-3 lead with 1:00 to go…Stalemate called with 16 seconds left…Point awarded to Dees for stalling, Clifford wins 5-4.
 
Seton Hill leads match, 4-3.
 
 
141 - Matt Benvenuto (KU) vs. Patrick Owens (SHU)
 
Numerous stalemates called in first period…Tied at 0-0 after first period…Owens chooses bottom to start second period…Owens escapes in opening seconds for 1-0 lead…Owens leads 1-0 after second period, neutral to start third period…Out of bounds called with 55 seconds to go…out of bounds called with seven seconds left…Owens backs away and earns 1-0 decision.
 
Seton Hills leads match, 7-3.
 
 
149 - Joe Esposito (KU) vs. Ty Lydic (SHU)
 
Esposito standings takedown in opening seconds for 2-0 lead…Quick escape by Lydic as Esposito leads 2-1…Esposito with another quick takedown for 4-1 lead…Misconduct called on Seton Hill…Lydic with another quick escape for 4-2 Esposito lead in first period…Action slows down for remainder of period, as Esposito leads 4-2 after first peiord…Esposito on top to start second, Lydic earns an escape point for 4-3 Esposito lead…Esposito leads 4-3 after second period, Esposito chooses bottom to start third…Esposito escapes in opening seconds to take 5-3 lead…Warning on Esposito for stalling, followed by a thunderous takedown by Esposito for a 7-3 lead with 1:00 to go…Lydic escapes to draw within three points for 7-4 Esposito lead with 30 seconds to go…Esposito wins match 7-4.
 
Seton Hill leads match, 7-6
 
 
157 - Matt Martoccio (KU) vs. Zach Voytek (SHU)
 
Tied after first period, Martoccio defers, Voytek chooses bottom to start second…Martoccio goes over a minute of riding time in second period…Voytek escapes with 36 seconds left in second period to take 1-0 lead. Martoccio with 1:24 of riding time after second period…Marotccio chooses neutral to start third period…Martoccio earns takedown early in third period to take 2-1 lead…Voytek escapes with 50 seconds to go, match tied at 2-2, but Martoccio sealed a riding time point…Martoccio warning called with 10 seconds left…Martoccio wins 3-2 after 2:02 of riding time.
 
KU takes 9-7 lead.
 
 
165 - Bo Candelaria (KU) vs. Ryan Walters (SHU)
 
Walters earns first takedown of match with under a minute to go in first period…Stalling warning on Walters with six seconds left in period…Walters leads 2-0 after first…Walters defers, Candelaria chooses top to start second period…Candelaria caution on restart…Top stalling called on Candelaria…Walters stalling called, one point awarded to Candelaria, trails Walters 2-1 after second period…Walters chooses neutral to start third period with 2-1 lead and 1:09 of Candelaria riding time…Candelaria reversal in opening seconds of third period to take 3-2 lead with a point of riding time…Walters escapes for one point, followed by immediate takedown for 5-3 lead over Candelaria…Walters eliminates Candelaria riding time with 20 seconds to go…Walters wins 5-3.
 
Seton Hill leads 10-9.
 
 
174 - Ryan Krecker (KU) vs. Brett Smith (SHU)
 
Krecker with opening takedown for 2-0 lead…Smith earns escape point for 2-1 Krecker lead midway through first period…Krecker with another takedown with 37 seconds left in first period for 4-1 lead…Smith escape point, 4-2 Krecker lead…Krecker leads 4-2 with 49 seconds of riding time after second period…Krecker defers, Smith chooses bottom to start second…Smith escapes for 4-3 Krecker lead…Smith earns takedown for 5-4 lead, action stopped for Krecker injury…Smith chooses bottom out of injury timeout…Escapes for point and 6-4 lead…Smith leads 6-4 and is on top to start third…Krecker's riding time goes under a minute three seconds into period…Stalling warning called on Smith, he leads 6-4…Action brought back to middle of mat with 12 seconds left…Krecker escapes with six seconds left, but Smith wins match 6-5 with 51 seconds of riding time.
 
Seton Hill leads 13-9.
 
 
184 - Andre Petroski (KU) vs. Christian Bosco (SHU)
 
Petroski earns takedown for 2-0 lead midway through first period…Bosco escapes and goes into grapple for 2-1 Petroski lead…Petroski earns takedown in final 10 seconds for 4-1 lead after first period…Bosco defers, Petroski chooses bottom to start second…Petroski reversal gives him 6-1 lead…Petroski over a minute in riding time…Petroski leads 6-1 entering third period…Petroski takedown gives him 8-1 lead, uses takedown into three-point nearfall, and finishes Bosco off with a pin in 6:07.
 
KU leads match 15-13
 
 
 
197 - Brandan Clark (KU) vs. Morris Lawson (SHU)
 
Lawson with quick takedown, followed by three-point nearfall for 5-0 lead in opening 30 seconds…Clark escapes midway through first period and trails 5-1…Clark follows with immediate takedown to trail 5-3…Lawson escapes for 6-3 lead…Lawson leads 6-3 after first period…Lawson is on bottom to start second period…Stalemate called 30 seconds into period…Clark rolls Lawson up in middle of match for three-point nearfall as match is tied at 6-6 to start third period and Clark holds 1:13 of riding time…Neutral to start third period…Stalemate called with 31 seconds left…Stalemate called again with seven seconds left…Clark stalling warning, but Clark wins 7-6 after 1:13 riding time.
 
KU leads match 18-13
 
 
285 - #1 Ziad Haddad (KU) vs. Alex Soutiere (SHU)
 
Haddad with takedown, followed by three-point nearfall, and a pin in 30 seconds.
 
KU wins match 24-13.