ERIE, Pa. – Following a quick turnaround after last night's win, the 14th-ranked Kutztown University wrestling team took the mat on Saturday afternoon against seventh-ranked Mercyhurst University in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) matchup. The Lakers won seven of the ten bouts for a 28-9 victory over the Golden Bears from the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.
Mercyhurst improves to 13-1 overall and 3-0 in the PSAC standings, while Kutztown falls to 8-6 overall and 3-1 in PSAC.
The match started at 157 pounds and the Lakers jumped out to a 14-0 lead with wins in the first four bouts from three nationally-ranked grapplers.
The Kutztown big men got their squad back into the match with two-straight victories at the upper weight classes.
Brandan Clark fended off a late barrage of shots from Brian Beattie to hang on and win the 197-pound match by a score of 3-2 to put KU on the board. Top-ranked heavyweight
Ziad Haddad scored bonus points for KU with a 12-4 major decision over Andrew Welton at 285 pounds.
A technical fall at 125 pounds and a sudden-victory defeat at 133 pounds deflated the Maroon and Gold and put the match out of reach (22-7).
Matt Benvenuto came through with a sudden-victory triumph at 141 pounds, defeating Kody Young 3-1 for KU's final points.
The Golden Bears will return home next weekend for a rematch with Lake Erie College on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. at Keystone Arena. Lake Erie upset Kutztown earlier in the season at the National Duals.
Results #7 Mercyhurst 28, #14 Kutztown 9
Match started at 157 …
157 – Francis Mizia (MER) major decision over
Matt Martoccio (KU), 11-0 [MER 4-0]
165 – Angelo Bortoluzzi (MER) major decision over
Bo Candelaria (KU), 10-2 [MER 8-0]
174 – August Mizia (MER) decision over
Ryan Krecker (KU), 6-0 [MER 11-0]
184 – Dakota DesLauriers (MER) decision over
Andre Petroski (KU), 4-3 [MER 14-0]
197 –
Brandan Clark (KU) decision over Brian Beattie (MER), 3-2 [MER 14-3]
285 –
Ziad Haddad (KU) major decision over Andrew Welton (MER), 12-4 [MER 14-7]
125 – Willie Bohince (MER) technical fall over
Nicholas DeMarco (KU), 20-5 (7:00) [MER 19-7]
133 – Ryan Bohince (MER) sudden victory 1 over
Travis Roper (KU), 7-5 [MER 22-7]
141 –
Matt Benvenuto (KU) sudden victory 1 over Kody Young (MER), 3-1 [MER 22-10]
149 – Jeremy Landowski (MER) fall over
Trent Clifford (KU), 1:31 [MER 28-10]
Kutztown lost a team point for unsportsmanlike conduct after the 184-pound match
