BETHLEHEM, Pa. (Nov. 22, 2015) – The Edinboro University wrestling team faced its toughest test of the season on Sunday afternoon and suffered a 36-6 loss at tenth-ranked Lehigh in Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. The Mountain Hawks won eight of ten bouts to improve to 4-1. The loss dropped the Fighting Scots dropped to 3-2, with both losses to nationally-ranked teams.

Edinboro picked up wins at 149 and 165 lbs., as Patricio Lugo and Casey Fuller, respectively, both remaining undefeated.  Lugo, one of four true freshmen in the starting lineup, won a 6-4 decision over Laike Gardner.  He boosted his record to 10-0 thanks to a pair of first-period takedowns for a 4-1 lead. A second-period escape gave him a 5-1 lead before Gardner pulled down within 5-4 on an escape to start the third period, followed by a takedown midway through the period. Lugo would add his final point on an escape ten seconds later.

Fuller also moved to 10-0 with a 3-2 decision at 165 lbs. over Ryan Preisch. The senior recorded the opening takedown with 1:05 left in the period. Preisch would escape to make it 2-1 after a period. The only scoring in the second period was a Fuller escape, and the period saw Preisch escape for the only points.
Lehigh, with a lineup featuring five ranked wrestlers, won the rest of the matches, with bonus points in five of those matches, including three falls. The best match of the day was the opening bout at 125 lbs. between nationally-ranked Sean Russell of Edinboro and Lehigh's Darian Cruz. Cruz, ranked 14th, would prevail over 20th-ranked Russell via a 3-1 decision in sudden victory.

Following a scoreless first period, Russell took a 1-0 lead with an escape in the second period. Cruz began the third period with an escape, and neither wrestler would score again until Cruz registered a takedown early in overtime. The loss dropped Russell to 7-2.

Edinboro will return to the mat on Thursday, December 3, hosting Bloomsburg. It will mark the first home appearance for the Fighting Scots.

No. 10 Lehigh 36, Edinboro 6
November 22, 2015
Bethlehem, Pa.
 
125 lbs. – #14 Darian Cruz (Lehigh) dec. #20 Sean Russell (Edinboro) 3-1, sv
133 lbs. – Dean Somers (Lehigh) major dec. Tony Recco (Edinboro) 12-0
141lbs.  – #8 Randy Cruz (Lehigh) fall over Nate Hagan (Edinboro) 2:05
149 lbs. – Patricio Lugo (Edinboro) dec. Laike Gardner (Lehigh) 6-4
157 lbs. – #7 Mitch Minotti (Lehigh) fall over Spencer Nagy (Edinboro) 3:29
165 lbs. – Casey Fuller (Edinboro) dec. Ryan Preisch (Lehigh) 3-2
174 lbs. – Elliot Riddick (Lehigh) dec. Patrick Jennings (Edinboro) 10-4
184 lbs. – #8 Nathaniel Brown (Lehigh) tech. fall Chris Laird (Edinboro) 16-0, 2:13
197 lbs. – John Bolich (Lehigh) dec. Vince Pickett (Edinboro) 8-3
Hwt. – #16 Max Wessell (Lehigh) fall over Billy Miller (Edinboro) 5:35
 
Records: Edinboro 3-2, Lehigh 4-1