Bucknell University
#18 Penn
Bucknell Wrestling Falls at No. 18 Penn, 24-11
1/29/2011 7:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 29, 2011
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Seniors Kevin LeValley (Hugo, Colo./Limon), Brantley Hooks (Spartanburg, S.C./James F. Byrnes) and Rob Waltko (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) each posted a victory for Bucknell, but the Bison lost to No. 18 Penn, 24-11, in a Saturday afternoon wrestling match at The Palestra. Bucknell fell to 4-10 on the year and 0-4 against EIWA competition, while the Quakers improved to 6-3, 1-0 EIWA.
LeValley and Hooks scored the only bonus-point victories in the match with back-to-back major decisions, but Penn won six of the nine contested bouts and earned a forfeit at 133 pounds. The Quakers had four ranked wrestlers in their lineup, compared to just one for Bucknell (No. 6 LeValley).
Penn's final four wins (165, 174, 197, Hwt.) were all by decision and came by a combined 10 points. The Bison's three victories were by a combined 19 points.
Bucknell fell behind by at least a 12-0 margin for the third consecutive match, but battled back as LeValley (149 pounds) and Hooks (157) posted matching 11-3 major decisions. That made the team score 12-8.
The Bison had a chance to draw within one point in the team score, but Corey Lear (Orangeville, Pa./Benton Area) lost in the second sudden-victory overtime period to No 18 Gabriel Burak.
Waltko then broke a personal four-bout losing streak with a 7-4 decision at 184 pounds. It was his 50th career victory.
LeValley's win was his fourth straight for bonus points and moved his record to 22-1 this season. He now has 115 career victories.
Hooks moved within one win of 10th place on Bucknell's all-time list as he is now 81-64 in his career. He has won three bouts in a row.
Bucknell is now 3-5 all-time against Penn. The Bison and Quakers had not met since 1995.
Bucknell will commence a two-match homestand next Friday, Feb. 4, when it hosts Lock Haven. Start time in Davis Gym is 7 p.m.
Penn 24, Bucknell 11
*125: No. 19 Mark Rappo (P) dec. Derek Reber (B), 8-1
133: Geoffrey Bostany (P) wins by forfeit
141: No. 9 Zack Kemmerer (P) dec. Zac Hancock (B), 10-3
149: No. 6 Kevin LeValley (B) maj. dec. Andrew Lenzi (P), 11-3
157: Brantley Hooks (B) maj. dec. Brad Wukie (P), 11-3
165: No. 18 Gabriel Burak (P) dec. Corey Lear (B), 4-2 (sv2)
174: Canaan Bethea (P) dec. Stephen McPeek (B), 3-2
184: Rob Waltko (B) dec. Harrison Coon (P), 7-4
197: No. 6 Micah Burak (P) dec. Jay Hahn (B), 5-2
Hwt.: Kyle Cowan (P) dec. Joe McMullan (B), 7-3
* Starting weight
