Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
#25 Old Dominion
Bucknell Wrestling Hangs Tough with No. 25 Old Dominion, But Falls 19-16
1/24/2010 7:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 24, 2010
NORFOLK, Va. - The Bucknell wrestling team nearly claimed its second win over a top-25 team since the program was reinstated in 2006-07, but fell to No. 25 Old Dominion by a close 19-16 score Sunday afternoon at the Ted Constant Convocation Center. The Bison won five bouts overall and had a chance to tie the score with a pin in the day's final match, but earned only a decision.
Bucknell (8-6) and Old Dominion (8-3-1) split the 10 bouts, but a pin by No. 7 James Nicholson at 125 pounds proved to be the difference for the Monarchs, who accumulated two bonus-point wins to just one for the Bison.
A total of six ranked wrestlers - three for each team - competed in the match and each was victorious. Bucknell's David Marble (No. 17 at 133), Kevin LeValley (No. 7 at 149) and Shane Riccio (No. 17 at 174) were a combined 3-0, matching Nicholson, Chris Brown (No. 14 at 165) and Jesse Strawn (No. 15 at 197).
Thanks to a 2-1 decision by Riccio on riding time, the match score was even at 13-13 with three bouts left. The Monarchs won by decision at 184 and 197 over Rob Waltko and Jay Hahn to take a 19-13 edge into the final bout. While he did not get the pin he needed to salvage a tie, freshman Joe McMullan posted a 6-2 decision over Grant Champman to cut the final deficit to three points. The win was the third in a row, and the fifth in the last six matches, for McMullan.
The six-point lead heading into the final bout equaled the largest of the match for Old Dominion. Bucknell's lone lead came after a Brantley Hooks decision at 157 made the score 10-9 in favor of the Bison.
Marble earned Bucknell's first points with a 6-2 decision over Justin LeValle at 133 pounds. It was the seventh win in eight bouts for Marble, who scored three points early in the third period to clinch the victory.
LeValley moved into a tie for fifth place on the Bison single-season wins list (31) and into a tie for ninth place on the career ledger (82) with a 9-0 major decision victory at 149 pounds. Bucknell's only bonus-point victory stretched LeValley's winning streak to five and his 2009-10 dual record to 12-2.
This is the third consecutive season Bucknell and Old Dominion have met. The Monarchs have been nationally ranked for each meeting and this was by far the closest match. Two years ago the Bison lost by 24 (30-6) and last year at Davis Gym they lost by 12 (21-9).
If Bucknell had been able to defeat Old Dominion, it would have been the program's first over a ranked foe since the Bison upended No. 25 Columbia in February 2007.
The Bison, who are two matches into a five-match road trip, will wrestle at Columbia next Sunday, Jan. 31. Bucknell will attempt to improve to 4-1 on the road this season.
No. 25 Old Dominion 19, Bucknell 16
*125: No. 7 James Nicholson (ODU) pinned Derrik Russell (B), 2:11
133: No. 17 Dave Marble (B) dec. Justin LaValle (ODU), 6-2
141: Craig Wilson (ODU) dec. John Regan (B), 3-2
149: No. 7 Kevin LeValley (B) maj. dec. Cam Watkins (ODU), 9-0
157: Brantley Hooks (B) dec. Joey Sheridan (ODU), 8-4
165: No. 14 Chris Brown (ODU) maj. dec. Corey Lear (B), 11-3
174: No. 17 Shane Riccio (B) dec. Eric Decker (ODU), 2-1
184: Joe Budi (ODU) dec. Rob Waltko (B), 10-6
197: No. 15 Jesse Strawn (ODU) dec. Jay Hahn (B), 7-2
HWT: Joe McMullan (B) win by decision Grant Chapman (ODU), 6-2
*Starting weight
Team Records: Bucknell 8-6. Old Dominion 8-3-1
