KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- Kutztown University wrestling suffered its first conference and home defeat of the season Friday night as the visiting 11th-ranked Gannon Golden Knights won seven weight classes to emerge with a 29-12 victory at Keystone Arena.
 
Gannon (6-5, 3-1 PSAC) picked up decisions at 125 lbs. and 133 lbs., before Collin Wickramaratna (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) countered with a 12-7 decision over Jimmy Ryan at 141 lbs. to cut the visitors' lead in half, 6-3.
 
Unfortunately, the Maroon and Gold were unable to build any momentum from Wickramaratna's win. Second-ranked Nick Young used two takedowns, a reversal and eight back points on his way to a 15-0 (7:00) technical fall at 149 and eighth-ranked Dom Means followed with a pin at 1:40 of the first period against Bryce Buckman (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) at 157, allowing Gannon to widen the gap to 17-3.
 
A pair of hard-fought one-point victories for the Golden Knights made it 23-3 by the time the match reached 184. No. 4 Alex Farenchak defeated Dalton Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg), 4-3, at 165 and Joey Perella's riding time point was the difference in a 6-5 decision over Ethan Baney (Hanover, Pa./South Western) at 174.
 
Sixth-ranked Matthew Weinberg (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) was in fine form again for KU (6-2, 2-1 PSAC) Friday. Weinberg quickly struck for a takedown and two-point nearfall to lead Cole Hivnor, 4-0, after a period. An equally fast reversal to start the second led to Weinberg's eighth pin of the season (3:22) as he upped his record to 18-0 overall and 7-0 in duals.
 
Dustin Swanson (New Holland, Pa./Garden Spot) ended the night on a high for the hosts with his 10th win of the season, and fifth in a row. The redshirt freshman broke a 2-2 tie against Eli Reese in the heavyweight bout with a last-minute takedown and brought Reese's riding time under a minute to hold on for a 4-3 decision.
 
Kutztown is back at Keystone Arena tomorrow at noon to face its second ranked opponent of the weekend in another Erie-based school, No. 16 Mercyhurst.

 

KUTZTOWN VS. #11 GANNON FRIDAY, JAN. 27, 2023 | KUTZTOWN, PA. | KEYSTONE ARENA
WT.	MATCH	KUTZ	GAN
125	Jose Diaz (GAN) dec. Julien Maldonado (KUTZ), 9-7 (SV-1)	0	3
133	Chase McLaughlin (GAN) dec. KJ Fenstermacher (KUTZ), 4-2	0	6
141	Collin Wickramaratna (KUTZ) dec. Jimmy Ryan (GAN), 12-7	3	6
149	#2 Nick Young (GAN) tech. fall Kibwe McNair (KUTZ), 15-0 (7:00)	3	11
157	#8 Dom Means (GAN) pinned Bryce Buckman (KUTZ), 1:40	3	17
165	#4 Alex Farenchak (GAN) dec. Dalton Gimbor (KUTZ), 4-3	3	20
174	Joey Petrella (GAN) dec. Ethan Baney (KUTZ), 6-5	3	23
184	#6 Matthew Weinberg (KUTZ) pinned Cole Hivnor (GAN), 3:22	9	23
197	#11 Joel Leise (GAN) won by forfeit	9	29
285	Dustin Swanson (KUTZ) dec. Eli Reese (GAN), 4-3	12	29
EXHIBITION
165	Ethan Richner (GAN) pinned Hunter Horton (KUTZ), 1:51