Bucknell University
#7 Lehigh
Bucknell Wrestling on Wrong Side of 28-12 Decision Against No. 7 Lehigh
2/6/2009 7:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Feb. 6, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell won four of the first seven bouts and was tied with No. 7 Lehigh following the 174-pound match, but the Mountain Hawks earned a major decision, pin and forfeit at the three heaviest weight classes to defeat the Bison wrestling team 28-12 Friday evening in front of nearly 1,700 fans at Leeman-Turner Arena. Bucknell received victories from Derek Reber (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area), Scott Sechler (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh), Andy Rendos (Brockway, Pa./Brockway Area) and Shane Riccio (Warren, N.J./Watchung Hills).
The Bison (9-9, 3-3 EIWA) trailed 12-3 early, but won three consecutive bouts to even the score at 12 apiece following Riccio's 4-2 decision at 174, his 11th win in his last 12 bouts. Despite claiming four of the nine matches wrestled, the Bison were outmuscled by Lehigh, which posted two pins, one major decision and one win by forfeit in the match.
Reber put Bucknell up early with an 8-6 decision over John McDonald at 125. It was his team-high 26th victory of the season, a number Riccio later matched.
In the first of two bouts in the match between ranked grapplers, Lehigh prevailed as No. 15 Matt Fisk earned an 8-3 decision over No. 20 David Marble at 133. It was the eighth loss of the season for Marble, all of them to ranked opponents.
The win by Fisk was the first of three consecutive victories for the Mountain Hawks. Sechler, who had wrestled just once since Dec. 19, put an end to that streak with a 10-8 overtime decision over Sean Bilodeau at 157. Rendos, who is ranked No. 14 nationally, followed with a 4-3 overtime decision of his own at 165 over No. 12 Mike Galante in the second of two bouts between ranked wrestlers. It was Rendos' third win over a top-20 opponent this season.
Riccio then rounded out the list of Bucknell victories at 174.
With their wins, Reber and Rendos stayed perfect in EIWA duals. Both Bison wrestlers are now 6-0 against conference opponents.
Lehigh (20-1, 6-0 EIWA), which has won 20 matches in a season for the third time in program history, had five ranked wrestlers in its lineup compared to just two for Bucknell.
The Bison, who opened a three-match road trip Friday night, will return to action Sunday, Feb. 15, at American. The start time for that match is 1 p.m.
No. 7 Lehigh 28, Bucknell 12
*125: Derek Reber (B) dec. John McDonald (L), 8-6
133: No. 15 Matt Fisk (L) dec. No. 20 David Marble (B), 8-3
141: Seth Ciasulli (L) pinned Adam Healey (B), 1:02
149: No. 14 Trevor Chinn (L) dec. Kevin LeValley (B), 5-3
157: Scott Sechler (B) dec. Sean Bilodeau (L), 10-8 sv
165: No. 14 Andy Rendos (B) dec. No. 12 Mike Galante (L), 4-3 sv
174: Shane Riccio (B) dec. Manuel Schubert (L), 4-2
184: No. 9 David Craig (L) maj. dec. David Thompson (B), 10-2
197: Joe Kennedy (L) pinned Rob Waltko (B), 5:56
HWT: No. 17 Zach Rey (L) won by forfeit * starting weight
Team Records
Bucknell – 9-9, 3-3 EIWA
Lehigh – 20-1, 6-0 EIWA
