Bucknell University
Liberty
Bucknell Wrestling Drops 24-15 Decision to Liberty
1/23/2011 7:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 23, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell wrestling team, on Sunday, was part of a second match in three days that wasn't decided until the final bout. Unfortunately for the Bison, this one didn't go their way as they lost to Liberty, 24-15, in Davis Gym. Bucknell defeated Old Dominion on Friday evening by winning the final bout.
Once again, the Bison had to overcome an early deficit as the Flames built a 12-0 lead before senior Kevin LeValley (Hugo, Colo./Limon), who is ranked sixth nationally, put Bucknell (4-9) on the board with his first pin of the year at 149 pounds. The Bison also had to overcome a 13-0 deficit Friday against the Monarchs.
Entering the final bout (heavyweight) Bucknell had a chance to tie the score at 21-21 if Joe McMullan (Easton, Pa./Wyoming Seminary) could pin opponent Josh Pelletier. However, Pelletier, who outweighed the 184-pound McMullan by nearly 100 pounds, worked a 3-2 decision to give Liberty (7-6) its final nine-point margin.
Classmate Brantley Hooks (Spartanburg, S.C./James F. Byrnes) followed LeValley's win with a 10-5 decision at 157, bringing the Bison to within 12-9.
Corey Lear (Orangeville, Pa./Benton Area) then took to the mat against unranked Chad Porter with a chance to at least tie the score. However, Porter pinned Lear in just 2 minutes, 36 seconds. Lear had been 17-2 against unranked foes this season.
Freshman Stephen McPeek (Southlake, Texas/Bishop Lynch) kept the Bison within striking range (18-12) with an 11-9 decision at 174 pounds. The score was tied 3-3 after the first period, but McPeek outscored Royal Breettrager 5-1 in the second frame and then held on for the two-point victory. Brettrager did post a reversal and a two-point near-fall as time expired to make the final score closer than it appeared.
A tight 3-2 loss by Rob Waltko (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) at 184 that was decided on riding time meant Bucknell would need bonus points in the final two bouts. However, only Jay Hahn (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley), who won at 197 by an 8-1 score, was able to pick up a victory. Hahn's triumph meant the Bison could still tie, but forced McMullan to need a pin to force the tie. Hahn has now won four consecutive duals, and six of his last seven.
Of Bucknell's four individual wins, just one (LeValley) was for bonus points, while Liberty, which lost to Navy on Friday by a 34-6 margin, scored a pair of pins.
Prior to the match with Liberty, Bucknell wrestled six matches against Penn College. The Bison won all six bouts with Scott Sechler (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh) claiming two victories. Other winners included Nick Gurol (Philipsburg, Pa./Philipsburg-Osceola), Jamie Westwood (Little Falls, N.J./Queen of Peace), Austin Fallon (Centreville, Va./Westfield) and Conor Sweeney (Gladstone, N.J./Seton Hall Prep).
Bucknell will hit the road for its next match. It will face Penn Saturday, Jan. 29, at 1 p.m. in Philadelphia, Pa.
Liberty 24, Bucknell 15
*125: Robert Jillard (L) dec. Derek Reber (B), 12-9
133: T.J. Mitchell (L) pinned Bob Hauser (B), 4:22
141: Seth Hicks (L) dec. Zac Hancock (B), 4-2
149: No. 6 Kevin LeValley (B) pinned Peter Crawford (L), 5:47
157: Brantley Hooks (B) dec. Julian Colon (L), 10-5
165: Chad Porter (L) pinned Corey Lear (B), 2:36
174: Stephen McPeek (B) dec. Royal Brettrager (L), 11-9
184: Aaron Kelley (L) dec. Rob Waltko (B), 3-2
197: Jay Hahn (B) dec. Aaron Thompson (L), 8-1
Hwt.: Josh Pelletier (L) dec. Joe McMullan (B), 3-2
* Starting weight
