University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
Duquesne
Wrestling Team Wins Three Dual Matches
1/31/2000 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 31, 2000
PITTSBURGH - The Panther wrestling team had a busy week, competing in three dual matches on the road and claiming victories in all. Pittsburgh defeated crosstown-rival Duquesne (26-13) on Jan. 26, Virginia Military Institute (26-13) on Jan. 28, and Eastern Wrestling League foe Virginia Tech (22-19) on Jan. 29.
At Duquesne, the Dukes got off to a quick start by jumping to a 7-3 lead after three matches, but the Panthers dominated the rest of the competition, beginning with ninth-ranked junior Rob Loper (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) at 133 pounds. Loper claimed his team-leading fourth technical fall of the season, 19-4, over Kevin Gray.
Sophomore Andy Villecco (Mickleton, Pa./Kingsway Regional) then claimed 141 pounds with a 13-7 decision over Duquesne's Bryan McDermott before freshman Justin Giovinco (Norristown, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) won the 149-pound weight class by a forfeit.
Senior Mike Ziska (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) and redshirt freshman Carl Fronhofer (Salem, N.Y./Salem), both ranked 16th in the country, won each of their respective weight classes. Ziska won a 5-4 overtime victory at 157 pounds over Bill Boeh, while Fronhofer recorded his third fall (4:30) of the season at 165 pounds.
The Panthers came back from a 13-0 deficit to defeat the Keydets of VMI, who swept the first three bouts of the night beginning at 165 pounds. Sophomore Josh McCullough (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) put Pittsburgh on the board with his first dual victory of the year at 197 pounds, before senior heavyweight Matt Mueller (North Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) won by forfeit. VMI extended its lead to 16-9 with a decision at 125 pounds, but that was the last bout it would win. Loper earned a major decision (17-5) over Will Richardson and Villecco put the Panthers ahead for good with another major decision (10-0) at 141 pounds. Giovinco decisioned Adam Britt and Ziska earned his first fall of the season at 157 pounds to complete the match and the victory for Pittsburgh.
The Panthers edged out the Hokies of Virginia Tech with another come-from-behind win. Pittsburgh trailed 19-18 heading into the last match of the night (133 pounds) needing just a three-point decision to be victorious. But Loper took that one step further and earned his team-leading 11th major decision of the year, 15-2, over Mike Mercado, clinching the win. It also was Loper's 11th dual win of the year. He remains the only Panther undefeated in dual matchups and is second on the team in wins with an impressive record of 25-3.
Giovinco, the team's current win (26-11) and fall (seven) leader, pinned Brian Wilson in the 149-pound bout, and was followed by another fall (2:47) by Ziska at 157 pounds. Both 17th-ranked Nick Mengerink (Upper Sandusky, Ohio/Carey) and Mueller also won decisions in their respective weight classes. Mengerink upset 15th-ranked Eric Hall, 4-3, at 174 pounds, and Mueller won, 7-5, over Doug Easlick.
Pittsburgh improves to 6-5 overall (1-2 EWL). The Panthers return home Friday, Feb. 4, when they host Lock Haven in an EWL matchup at Fitzgerald Field House (7:30).
