University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
North Carolina
Wrestlers Finish 1-2 At 2000 Virginia Duals
1/10/2000 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 10, 2000
PITTSBURGH - The 23rd-ranked Pittsburgh wrestling team competed in the 2000 Virginia Duals held Jan. 7-8 and came away with a record of 1-2. The Panthers began the weekend with a 30-8 win over North Carolina in the first round of the duals, but fell to 16th-ranked Northern Iowa (25-12) and 25th-ranked Rider (19-14).
Pittsburgh claimed all but two bouts in its victory over the Tar Heels. Junior Rob Loper (Erie, Pa./Cathedral and Prep), ranked 11th in the country, began the scoring with an 8-2 decision over Brad Byers at 133 pounds. Sophomore Blaise Mucci (Blairsville, Pa./Derry Area) recorded his fifth fall of the year over Andrew Slack at 2:42 in the 141-pound bout. His five falls currently ranks him second on the team.
Both redshirt freshman Carl Fronhofer (Salem, N.Y./Salem) and 14th-ranked junior Nick Mengerink (Upper Sanduskey, Ohio/Carey) each won major decisions at 165 and 174 pounds, respectively. True freshman Justin Giovinco (Norristown, Pa./Plymouth-Whitemarsh), 18th-ranked senior Mike Ziska (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) and sophomore Dan Stine (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) each claimed decisions in their respective weight classes.
Sophomore Zach Hasse (Washington, W.Va./Parkersburg South) earned six team points after Northern Iowa forfeited the 125-pound weight class in the second dual of the tournament but it wasn't enough for a Panther victory. Pittsburgh won just three weight classes, including wins by both Loper (133) and Fronhofer (165).
While the Panthers' match against Rider was a close one, Pittsburgh was not able to come up with the win. Loper earned his third technical fall of the season, 15-0, over Joe Pollard. Ziska and Fronhofer each earned decisions at 157 (3-2) and 165 (7-4) pounds respectively, while Stine claimed the 197-pound weight class with a 7-4 decision over 17th-ranked Todd Palmisano.
The Panthers move to 2-4 on the season (1-2 Eastern Wrestling League) and return home to take on American on Wednesday, Jan. 12. Match time is 7:30 p.m. at Fitzgerald Field House.
