University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Saturday, December 16
Pittsburgh, Pa.
3 p.m.
Pitt
20
vs
24
Clarion
Pitt Falls Short to Clarion
12/16/2017 6:31:00 PM | Wrestling
Four Panthers Earn Wins in Loss
Gavin/Forys Postmatch | Photo Gallery
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh wrestling team dropped a 24-20 decision in its home opener versus Clarion Saturday afternoon in the Fitzgerald Field House.
With the loss, the Panthers slip to 1-4 on the year while Clarion earns its first dual win of the year for a 1-2 overall record.
"You want to see improvement every time out. [Bucknell] is just one day away," said head coach Keith Gavin. "We have to get our mind in the right place. I talked to the team about how they need to do the little things right no matter who you're wrestling. You shouldn't let yourself off the hook and try the easy way out. I think a lot of our guys did that and they paid the price. When we wrestle Bucknell tomorrow, I want them to finish correctly, get off the bottom correctly and do all the little things right, because every match is a preparation for March and we need to do a much better job of that."
Clarion took the initial lead in the dual as redshirt junior Jake Gromacki edged junior LJ Bentley at 125 pounds in an 8-2 decision.
Pitt grabbed the lead right back after senior Dom Forys won by technical fall, 18-3, in 4:04, over junior Roshaun Cooley at 133 pounds. Forys, the 11th-ranked 133-pounder, jumped out to an 8-1 advantage in the first period before sealing the deal in the second frame.
Clarion's ninth-ranked Brock Zacherl at 141 pounds put the visiting team back in front as he defeated No. 16 Nick Zanetta. The redshirt senior trailed 3-0 entering the third period and managed two escapes in the final frame to bring the score within one, but was unable to overcome Zacherl.
Clarion extended its lead to 9-5 at the conclusion of 149 pounds, with redshirt freshman Taylor Ortz pulling out a late 5-2 decision over Pitt's redshirt sophomore Alex Murray. Murray held a 2-1 advantage entering the third period, but Ortz managed an escape, takedown and one point with riding time to secure the win.
Taleb Rahmani, Pitt's 20th-ranked 157-pounder, brought the lead back to the Panthers' side after pinning Avery Shay in 4:59. Rahmani held a 5-3 lead before pinning Avery in the final seconds of the second period.
Redshirt freshman Jake Wentzel fed off of Rahmani's momentum, picking up an overtime victory, 4-2, over Clarion's Mox Wohlabaugh. Wentzel gutted out the victory for the Panthers to extend their lead to 14-9.
Back-to-back pins for the Golden Eagles at 174 pounds and 184 pounds put Clarion back on top over the Panthers, 21-14. CU's Dom Rigous stuck redshirt freshman Austin Bell in 4:04 before Greg Bulsak pinned redshirt freshman Gregg Harvey in 2:52.
Needing a win to stay alive in the match, redshirt sophomore Kellan Stout faced off with Dustin Conti at 197 pounds. Stout and Conti were forced to overtime, but Stout fell short in TB-1, 5-3.
Redshirt senior Ryan Solomon capped off the afternoon with a pin in 1:32, bringing the final team score to 24-20. Solomon, ranked No. 15 at heavyweight, pinned Clarion's Toby Cahill for his 12th win of the year.
Pitt has a quick turnaround as they head to Bucknell in Lewisburg, Pa., to take on the Bison Sunday, Dec. 17. The non-conference dual is set to begin at 2 p.m. in Sojka Pavilion.
Clarion 24, Pitt 20
125: Jake Gromacki (CU) dec. LJ Bentley (UP), 8-2 – CU leads 3-0
133: #11 Dom Forys (UP) tech. fall Roshaun Cooley, 18-3, 4:04 – UP leads 5-3
141: #9 Brock Zacherl (CU) dec. #16 Nick Zanetta, 3-2 – CU leads 6-5
149: Taylor Ortz (CU) dec. Alex Murray (UP), 5-2 – CU leads 9-5
157: #20 Taleb Rahmani (UP) pins Avery Shay (CU), 4:59 – UP leads 11-9
165: Jake Wentzel (UP) dec. Mox Wohlabaugh (CU), SV-1 4-2 – UP leads 14-9
174: Dom Rigous (CU) pins Austin Bell (UP), 4:04 – CU leads 15-14
184: Greg Bulsak (CU) pins Gregg Harvey (UP), 2:52 – CU leads 21-14
197: Dustin Conti (CU) dec. Kellan Stout (UP), TB-1 5-3 – CU leads 24-14
285: #15 Ryan Solomon (UP) pins Toby Cahill (CU), 1:32 – CU wins 24-20
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PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh wrestling team dropped a 24-20 decision in its home opener versus Clarion Saturday afternoon in the Fitzgerald Field House.
With the loss, the Panthers slip to 1-4 on the year while Clarion earns its first dual win of the year for a 1-2 overall record.
"You want to see improvement every time out. [Bucknell] is just one day away," said head coach Keith Gavin. "We have to get our mind in the right place. I talked to the team about how they need to do the little things right no matter who you're wrestling. You shouldn't let yourself off the hook and try the easy way out. I think a lot of our guys did that and they paid the price. When we wrestle Bucknell tomorrow, I want them to finish correctly, get off the bottom correctly and do all the little things right, because every match is a preparation for March and we need to do a much better job of that."
Clarion took the initial lead in the dual as redshirt junior Jake Gromacki edged junior LJ Bentley at 125 pounds in an 8-2 decision.
Pitt grabbed the lead right back after senior Dom Forys won by technical fall, 18-3, in 4:04, over junior Roshaun Cooley at 133 pounds. Forys, the 11th-ranked 133-pounder, jumped out to an 8-1 advantage in the first period before sealing the deal in the second frame.
Clarion's ninth-ranked Brock Zacherl at 141 pounds put the visiting team back in front as he defeated No. 16 Nick Zanetta. The redshirt senior trailed 3-0 entering the third period and managed two escapes in the final frame to bring the score within one, but was unable to overcome Zacherl.
Clarion extended its lead to 9-5 at the conclusion of 149 pounds, with redshirt freshman Taylor Ortz pulling out a late 5-2 decision over Pitt's redshirt sophomore Alex Murray. Murray held a 2-1 advantage entering the third period, but Ortz managed an escape, takedown and one point with riding time to secure the win.
Taleb Rahmani, Pitt's 20th-ranked 157-pounder, brought the lead back to the Panthers' side after pinning Avery Shay in 4:59. Rahmani held a 5-3 lead before pinning Avery in the final seconds of the second period.
Redshirt freshman Jake Wentzel fed off of Rahmani's momentum, picking up an overtime victory, 4-2, over Clarion's Mox Wohlabaugh. Wentzel gutted out the victory for the Panthers to extend their lead to 14-9.
Back-to-back pins for the Golden Eagles at 174 pounds and 184 pounds put Clarion back on top over the Panthers, 21-14. CU's Dom Rigous stuck redshirt freshman Austin Bell in 4:04 before Greg Bulsak pinned redshirt freshman Gregg Harvey in 2:52.
Needing a win to stay alive in the match, redshirt sophomore Kellan Stout faced off with Dustin Conti at 197 pounds. Stout and Conti were forced to overtime, but Stout fell short in TB-1, 5-3.
Redshirt senior Ryan Solomon capped off the afternoon with a pin in 1:32, bringing the final team score to 24-20. Solomon, ranked No. 15 at heavyweight, pinned Clarion's Toby Cahill for his 12th win of the year.
Pitt has a quick turnaround as they head to Bucknell in Lewisburg, Pa., to take on the Bison Sunday, Dec. 17. The non-conference dual is set to begin at 2 p.m. in Sojka Pavilion.
Clarion 24, Pitt 20
125: Jake Gromacki (CU) dec. LJ Bentley (UP), 8-2 – CU leads 3-0
133: #11 Dom Forys (UP) tech. fall Roshaun Cooley, 18-3, 4:04 – UP leads 5-3
141: #9 Brock Zacherl (CU) dec. #16 Nick Zanetta, 3-2 – CU leads 6-5
149: Taylor Ortz (CU) dec. Alex Murray (UP), 5-2 – CU leads 9-5
157: #20 Taleb Rahmani (UP) pins Avery Shay (CU), 4:59 – UP leads 11-9
165: Jake Wentzel (UP) dec. Mox Wohlabaugh (CU), SV-1 4-2 – UP leads 14-9
174: Dom Rigous (CU) pins Austin Bell (UP), 4:04 – CU leads 15-14
184: Greg Bulsak (CU) pins Gregg Harvey (UP), 2:52 – CU leads 21-14
197: Dustin Conti (CU) dec. Kellan Stout (UP), TB-1 5-3 – CU leads 24-14
285: #15 Ryan Solomon (UP) pins Toby Cahill (CU), 1:32 – CU wins 24-20
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