Bucknell University
George Mason
Bucknell Wrestling Earns First Road Win of Year, 27-9 at George Mason
1/27/2012 7:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 27, 2012
FAIRFAX, Va. - The Bucknell wrestling team dropped the first two bouts of Friday evening's dual at George Mason, but it bounced back to claim seven of the final eight bouts to post a 27-9 victory over the Patriots, snapping a six-match losing streak. Alex Pellicciotti, Stephen McPeek and Tyler Lyster register bonus-point victories for the Bison, who improved to 3-11 on the year and earned their first road victory.
George Mason (5-13) grapplers claimed the 125- and 133-pound matchups by matching 6-4 scores. It was another close bout at 141, but Bucknell's Derrik Russell pulled out a 3-1 overtime decision, starting the Bison comeback. A tech fall by Pellicciotti at 149 gave Bucknell its first lead at 8-6.
John Regan then won his team-high fifth consecutive bout at 157 by a seven-point decision. Corey Lear followed with a seven-point decision of his own at 165 as the Bison extended their advantage to 14-6.
McPeek claimed his third consecutive dual with a 16-2 major decision at 174. It was his fifth major decision this year, and his seventh bonus-point victory overall.
Jamie Westwood returned to the lineup and posted his eighth win this season with a 7-4 decision over Corey Smith. It snapped a five-bout losing streak by Westwood and clinched the dual for the Bison.
George Mason then snapped the Bucknell streak of six straight wins when Mendbagana Tovuujav upended Joe McMullan by a 10-6 margin at 197.
Lyster concluded the match on a high note for the Bison as he pinned Adam Barnette in 3:22. It was his fourth pin of the year out of eight total victories.
Friday's match opened a busy weekend for Bucknell, which will now travel to Oklahoma State for a pair of duals Sunday against the host and No. 2-ranked Cowboys and No. 22 Binghamton.
Bucknell 27, George Mason 9
125: Vincent Rodriguez (GMU) dec. Austin Miller (BU), 6-4
133: Zachary Isenhour (GMU) dec. Shawn Armato (BU), 6-4
141: Derrik Russell (BU) dec. Denny Herndon III (GMU), 3-1, overtime
149: Alex Pellicciotti (BU) tech. fall Shohei Takagi (GMU), end of match
157: John Regan (BU) dec. Kevin Timothy (GMU), 13-6
165: Corey Lear (BU) dec. Ty Knepp (GMU), 9-2
174: Stephen McPeek (BU) major dec. Steve Swayze (GMU), 16-2
184: Jamie Westwood (BU) dec. Corey Smith (GMU), 7-4
197: Mendbagana Tovuujav (GMU) dec. Joe McMullan (BU, 10-6
285: Tyler Lyster (BU) pin. Adam Barnette (GMU), 3:22
