EDINBORO, Pa. – In a match reminiscent of the days Edinboro and Pittsburgh battled as Eastern Wrestling League rivals, the two teams split the ten bouts, but Pittsburgh won three weight classes by bonus points to hand Edinboro a 20-16 defeat. Edinboro, ranked 20th by InterMat, is now 0-2 after previously losing to sixth-ranked Virginia Tech. Pittsburgh is ranked 22nd in the latest USA Today/NWCA Coaches' Poll and improved to 3-0.
 
"It was a hard-fought match," related a disappointed head coach Tim Flynn. "We have to get a little bit better. Right now, for us to win we have to win on toughness. We probably let one slip away."
 
The match started at 125 lbs. with 18th-ranked Sean Russell avenging a narrow loss to LJ Bentley a year ago with an impressive 4-1 decision. While improving to 5-1, the redshirt sophomore recorded a takedown in the first minute for a 2-1 lead one period, the rode out Bentley in the second period. He would add an escape in the third and a point for riding time.
 

Eighth-ranked Dom Forys gave Pitt a 4-3 lead with a 10-2 major decision over Korbin Myers at 133 lbs. The McComb Fieldhouse crowd of 783 then came alive as the brothers Lugo took to the mat for the next two matches.
 
In his collegiate debut, Ozzy Lugo outlast3ed Nick Zanetta at 141 lbs., as the two battled for eleven minutes, with Lugo winning 4-3 in two tiebreakers, with riding time ultimately deciding the match.
 
Lugo's reversal gave the freshman a 2-0 lead in the second period, with Zanetta's escape making it 2-1. The Panther used a quick escape in the third to make it 2-2 after regulation. After a scoreless minute of overtime, Lugo appeared to take a 4-2 lead with a reversal at the buzzer in the tiebreaker. The takedown was reviewed and the call reversed. Lugo then rode out Zanetta in the next 3-0 second period to send it into a second overtime period.
 
Neither wrestler would score in that minute overtime, as the match went to a second tiebreaker, with riding time now coming into play. Zanetta would be awarded a point for stalling with a second left, but Lugo rode him out for 30 seconds in riding time. With Lugo down, he would escape with six seconds remaining to tie the match, and the winning point came thanks to a six second advantage in riding time.
 
Older brother Patricio Lugo followed with a dominating 14-2 major decision at 149 lbs. over Mikey Racciato. The 12th-ranked sophomore improved to 5-2 as he recorded two saves and two near-fall points for a 6-1 lead after one period. An escape, takedown, and four back points made it 13-1 after two.
 

The back-to-back Lugo wins gave Edinboro a 10-4 lead, but the Panthers would take an 11-10 lead with wins at 157 and 165 lbs. Jake Wentzel won a 10-0 major decision at 157 lbs. over Chase Delande (4-4), before 19th-ranked TeShan Campbell posted a mild upset over 11th-ranked Austin Matthews, 9-6, as Matthews fell to 4-2.
 
Edinboro would rebuild the lead to 16-11 with decisions at 174 and 184 lbs. Ty Schoffstall, in his first year as the starter at 174 lbs., evened his record at 1-1 with an 11-5 decision over Christian Dietrich. The redshirt junior won thanks to four takedowns.

Geer, a true freshman, improved to 5-1 with a 4-3 decision over Mat Carr. He used an escape and takedown in the second period for a 3-1 lead. Carr was awarded a takedown at the buzzer, but Geer owned a minute, 13 second advantage in riding time for the winning point.
 
Pittsburgh won the last two matches to rally for the win. Zach Bruce won a 2-0 decision over redshirt freshman Dylan Reynolds (4-3) at 197 lbs. thanks to a second period escape and riding time.
 
Ryan Solomon, ranked 14th at heavyweight, won by fall at 2:58 over 16th-ranked Billy Miller (5-2) in the heavyweight match.
 
Edinboro returns to action against another nationally-ranked team on Saturday, November 19, as tenth-ranked Lehigh visits McComb Fieldhouse. That match will get underway at 3 p.m.
       
  125 -- #18 Sean Russell (EU) dec. LJ Bentley (UP) 4-1                               
133 – #8 Dom Forys (UP) maj. dec. Korbin Myers (EU) 10-2                                         
141 – Ozzy Lugo (EU) dec. Nick Zanetta (UP) 4-3 tb2                                   
149 – #12 Patricio Lugo (EU) maj. dec. Mikey Racciato (UP) 14-2              
157 – Jake Wentzel (UP) maj. dec. Chase Delande (EU) 10-0                                     
165 --#19  TeShan Campbell (UP) dec. #11 Austin Matthews (EU) 9-6         
174 – Ty Schoffstall (EU) dec. Christian Friedrich (UP) 11-5                                            
184 – Dakota Geer (EU) dec. Mat Carr (UP) 4-3                                                   
197 – Zach Bruce (UP) dec. Dylan Reynolds (EU) 2-0                                         
Hwt. – #14 Ryan Solomon (UP) fall over #16 Billy Miller (EU) 2:58                             
 
RECORDS:  Edinboro 0-2; Pittsburgh 3-0