KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- The Kutztown University wrestling team erased a 14-point deficit over the final four weight classes to pick up a huge 19-17 PSAC victory over No. 8 Millersville on Dustin Swanson's (New Holland, Pa./Garden Spot) takedown in the final seconds of the heavyweight bout Wednesday night at Keystone Arena.
 
It's the second time in less than a week that Swanson has answered the call for the Golden Bears (6-1, 2-0 PSAC) in a must-win situation. During last Saturday's Gold Bracket semifinal against Alvernia at the Virginia Duals, the redshirt freshman pinned Zack Scheffler to break a 16-all tie and lift KU to the 22-16 victory.
 
This result was just as dramatic, if not more so, against a conference opponent.
 
After a scoreless first period against the Marauders' (6-4, 2-2 PSAC) Jordan Espinosa, Swanson used a quick escape from bottom for a 1-0 lead. It remained that way until early in the third when Espinosa tied the match the same way. Swanson worked tirelessly to break the deadlock and was finally rewarded for his efforts with three seconds to go when he took Espinosa to the mat right in front of the Millersville bench and held on for a 3-2 win.
 
The Golden Bears couldn't afford any slipups after falling behind 17-3 heading into the 174-pound match. Though KU faced a steep uphill climb, it wasn't from a lack of effort against the Marauders' stacked lower and middle weights.
 
A back-and-forth match at 125 went Bryce Beatty's way, 12-9, over KU's Julien Maldonado (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown). Then KJ Fenstermacher (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) took on top-ranked Devin Flannery at 133, where he held a 1-0 lead heading to the third. Flannery was able to use an escape and riding time point to pull out a 2-1 victory for a 6-0 Millersville lead.
 
Collin Wickramaratna (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) got the Bears on the board with a 5-3 decision over Tim Uhler at 141, a second period escape and takedown proving to be the difference.
 
Millersville threw another ranked grappler out at 149 in No. 8 Craig Cook. He provided the visitors with their biggest result of the night, a 16-1 technical fall in 5:08, for an 11-3 advantage. Eli Tuckey scored a 9-4 decision over Sean Smith (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle) at 157 and Dalton Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) battled hard in a 5-3 defeat to No. 6 Brandon Connor at 165, but both results allowed the Marauders to extend their lead to 17-3.
 
Ethan Baney (Hanover, Pa./South Western) started Kutztown on the comeback trail at 174. Neither Baney nor Millersville's Andrew Vogelbacher scored through two periods, but Baney banked two minutes of riding time in the second and used it to his advantage in the third. An escape in the opening seconds and a riding time point were enough to vault the sophomore to a 2-1 win.
 
Seventh-ranked Matthew Weinberg (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) kept his perfect season intact with a 4:16 pin of Braden Newby in the 184-pound bout. Weinberg raced out to a 10-0 lead in the first on a takedown and two four-point nearfalls. He chose to start on top in the second and finished the job 1:16 into the period. Weinberg improved to 17-0 on the season with his seventh pin of the campaign and cut Millersville's lead to 17-12.
 
Tyler Fisher (Lenhartsville, Pa./Kutztown) followed with a 10-2 major decision over Lucas Doyle at 197 to bring KU closer yet. Fisher is giving the Maroon and Gold a much needed boost at the weight class, where he's won five of his last six matches and is 6-1 in duals.
 
Kutztown extended its winning streak over the Marauders to 16, dating back to the 2005-06 season.
 
The Golden Bears will return to Keystone Arena for matches against Gannon and Mercyhurst on Jan. 27-28. Gannon is in on the 27th for Youth Night at 7 p.m., while the Lakers visit for Alumni Day on the 28th at noon.

 

KUTZTOWN VS. #8 MILLERSVILLE WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18, 2023 | KUTZTOWN, PA. | KEYSTONE ARENA
WT.	MATCH	KUTZ	MILL
125	Bryce Beatty (MILL) dec. Julien Maldonado (KUTZ), 12-9	0	3
133	#1 Devin Flannery (MILL) dec. KJ Fenstermacher (KUTZ), 2-1	0	6
141	Collin Wickramaratna (KUTZ) dec. Tim Uhler (MILL), 5-3	3	6
149	#8 Craig Cook (MILL) tech. fall Kibwe McNair (KUTZ), 16-1 (5:08)	3	11
157	Eli Tuckey (MILL) dec. Sean Smith (KUTZ), 9-4	3	14
165	#6 Brandon Connor (MILL) dec. Dalton Gimbor (KUTZ), 5-3	3	17
174	Ethan Baney (KUTZ) dec. Andrew Vogelbacher (MILL), 2-1	6	17
184	#7 Matthew Weinberg (KUTZ) pinned Braden Newby (MILL), 4:16	12	17
197	Tyler Fisher (KUTZ) maj. dec. Lucas Doyle (MILL), 10-2	16	17
285	Dustin Swanson (KUTZ) dec. Jordan Espinosa (MILL), 3-2	19	17