University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Session 1 Recap: Forys, Rahmani Advance to Round of 16
3/15/2018 4:06:00 PM | Wrestling
Senior Dom Forys, Redshirt Sophomore Taleb Rahmani Pin Opponents to Advance
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Senior Dom Forys (133) and redshirt sophomore Taleb Rahmani (157) both pinned their first round opponents to advance to the Thursday night session round of 16 at the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Quicken Loans Arena.
Also representing the University of Pittsburgh was redshirt seniors Nick Zanetta (141) and Ryan Solomon (285), who dropped their first round matches.
All four Panthers will resume action Thursday night, beginning at 7 p.m.
Session two will feature wrestle-back prelims (pigtail matches), wrestle-back first round, championship round, second round and consolation round.
Below is a recap of each session one bout:
133 | #11 Dom Forys (UP) pins Corey Keener (PSU), 4:57
In the opening round of his final NCAA Championship trip, Forys pinned Corey Keener of Penn State in 4:57 to advance at 133 pounds. This was the second consecutive opening round meeting between the two as Forys won in a major decision a year ago. Forys fell behind early on, allowing a first period takedown. However, the Pittsburgh native escaped and took down Keener for a 3-2 lead in the opening frame. Forys then started the second period on bottom and quickly escaped to take a 4-2 lead. Keener then scored a quick takedown to tie it 4-4. Forys then reversed Keener and used that to record his first fall of the season.
Next Match: #11 Dom Forys (UP) vs. #6 Scott Parker (LEHIGH)
141 | #3 Yianni Diakomihalis (CORNELL) maj. dec. Nick Zanetta (UP), 10-1
Zanetta, making his debut on the national stage, dropped a 10-1 major decision to the No. 3 seed Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell in the opening round. Zanetta fell behind 4-0 in the opening period, as Diakomihalis extended his lead to 7-0 after two. Diakomihalis led 9-1 with under 30 seconds to go and added his final point with riding time. Zanetta drops to the consolation bracket.
Next Match: Nick Zanetta (UP) vs. #14 Nicholas Gil (NAVY)
157 | Taleb Rahmani (UP) pins #16 Mike D'Angelo (PRINCETON), 5:53
Making his second consecutive appearance at the NCAA Championships, Rahmani knocked off the No. 16 seed Mike D'Angelo of Princeton by pinning him in 5:53. D'Angelo struck first with a takedown in the opening frame; however, Rahmani quickly escaped to cut the lead to 2-1. Entering the second period, Rahmani started in the down position and escaped to tie it 2-2. Knotted 2-2 heading to the final frame, Rahmani started on top and fell behind 3-2 after a D'Angelo escape. Rahmani didn't need much more time to record the fall.
Next Match: Taleb Rahmani (UP) vs. #1 Hayden Hidlay (NCST)
285 | #1 Kyle Snyder (OHST) maj. dec. Ryan Solomon (UP), 14-5
Solomon took on 2016 Olympic gold medalist and defending national champion Kyle Snyder of Ohio State in the first round, dropping a 14-5 major decision. Solomon trailed 8-3 entering the final frame and was unable to make a comeback.
Next Match: Ryan Solomon (UP) vs. #16 Matt Stencel (CMU)
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Also representing the University of Pittsburgh was redshirt seniors Nick Zanetta (141) and Ryan Solomon (285), who dropped their first round matches.
All four Panthers will resume action Thursday night, beginning at 7 p.m.
Session two will feature wrestle-back prelims (pigtail matches), wrestle-back first round, championship round, second round and consolation round.
Below is a recap of each session one bout:
133 | #11 Dom Forys (UP) pins Corey Keener (PSU), 4:57
In the opening round of his final NCAA Championship trip, Forys pinned Corey Keener of Penn State in 4:57 to advance at 133 pounds. This was the second consecutive opening round meeting between the two as Forys won in a major decision a year ago. Forys fell behind early on, allowing a first period takedown. However, the Pittsburgh native escaped and took down Keener for a 3-2 lead in the opening frame. Forys then started the second period on bottom and quickly escaped to take a 4-2 lead. Keener then scored a quick takedown to tie it 4-4. Forys then reversed Keener and used that to record his first fall of the season.
Next Match: #11 Dom Forys (UP) vs. #6 Scott Parker (LEHIGH)
141 | #3 Yianni Diakomihalis (CORNELL) maj. dec. Nick Zanetta (UP), 10-1
Zanetta, making his debut on the national stage, dropped a 10-1 major decision to the No. 3 seed Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell in the opening round. Zanetta fell behind 4-0 in the opening period, as Diakomihalis extended his lead to 7-0 after two. Diakomihalis led 9-1 with under 30 seconds to go and added his final point with riding time. Zanetta drops to the consolation bracket.
Next Match: Nick Zanetta (UP) vs. #14 Nicholas Gil (NAVY)
157 | Taleb Rahmani (UP) pins #16 Mike D'Angelo (PRINCETON), 5:53
Making his second consecutive appearance at the NCAA Championships, Rahmani knocked off the No. 16 seed Mike D'Angelo of Princeton by pinning him in 5:53. D'Angelo struck first with a takedown in the opening frame; however, Rahmani quickly escaped to cut the lead to 2-1. Entering the second period, Rahmani started in the down position and escaped to tie it 2-2. Knotted 2-2 heading to the final frame, Rahmani started on top and fell behind 3-2 after a D'Angelo escape. Rahmani didn't need much more time to record the fall.
Next Match: Taleb Rahmani (UP) vs. #1 Hayden Hidlay (NCST)
285 | #1 Kyle Snyder (OHST) maj. dec. Ryan Solomon (UP), 14-5
Solomon took on 2016 Olympic gold medalist and defending national champion Kyle Snyder of Ohio State in the first round, dropping a 14-5 major decision. Solomon trailed 8-3 entering the final frame and was unable to make a comeback.
Next Match: Ryan Solomon (UP) vs. #16 Matt Stencel (CMU)
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