Bucknell University
Franklin & Marshall
Five Bonus-Point Wins Key Bucknell Wrestling's 30-10 Victory Over Franklin & Marshall
1/25/2013 7:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 25, 2013
| BUY PHOTOSLEWISBURG, Pa. - Friday night in Davis Gym the Bucknell wrestling team registered a 30-10 win over Franklin & Marshall to bring it to a 5-8 record on the season. The Bison, who improved to 2-1 against EIWA opponents, earned bonus points in five bouts, which allowed them to secure the dual by their largest margin this year.
Corey Lear (165) and Joe Stolfi (heavyweight) posted pins to lead Bucknell. In addition, the Bison received bonus points in three other bouts on the evening.
"Our guys came out with a lot of energy and it was a team effort," commented Dan Wirnsberger after his 60th win as Bison head coach. "The main thing is to get better and improve. It's good to get a win like this going into Sunday's match at Penn."
Coming back after recently missing four matches with injury, No. 15-ranked Lear posted a pin in the first period over Colin Lahiff in 2:36 after building a 4-2 lead. The win was Lear's 13th in a row as he improved to 18-3 on the season. Stolfi also had a first-period pin to put him at six consecutive wins. Stolfi pinned Alex Henry in 0:31 to secure the heavyweight bout.
Bucknell got out to an early lead at 125 as Austin Miller won a 10-4 decision over Aaron Moldoff. The Bison extended their lead to 7-0 following a 12-3 major decision at 133 by Paul Petrov over Robert Ruiz.
Franklin & Marshall (6-4, 1-2 EIWA) battled back to even the score at 7-7 by receiving a major decision in the 141 bout and a decision in the 149 bout.
A 7-1 decision by Vincent Favia and 157 and Lear's pin staked Bucknell to a 16-7 lead entering the 174-pound match, which was an even matchup of Bucknell's Robert Schlitt and F&M's Colin Gironda. Entering the third period Schlitt was trailing 3-2 but would even the score to 3-3 with an escape. This sent the match into overtime where Schlitt was eventually defeated 6-3 as Gironda garnered points from an escape followed by a takedown in the tiebreaker round.
The Bison came up strong in the 184, 197, and heavyweight classes, earning bonus points in each. At 184 Robert Marchese snapped a losing streak with a 13-4 major decision over Ekow Eshun. The Bison kept the momentum going in their favor with a win at 197 by Tyler Lyster over Isaiah Cromwell. Lyster recorded a commanding victory in a 14-2 major decision over Cromwell to give Bucknell a 24-10 lead entering the heavyweight match in which Stolfi and the Bison closed out the dual with a 30-10 victory.
Bucknell will be back in action on Sunday as they travel to Philadelphia to face No. 24 Penn in a 1 p.m. dual. The next home event for the Bison will take place next Saturday as they take on George Mason.
Bucknell 30, Franklin & Marshall 10
125: Austin Miller (BKN) dec. Aaron Moldoff (F&M), 10-4.
133: Paul Petrov (BKN) maj. dec. Robert Ruiz (F&M), 12-3.
141: No. 20 Richard Durso (F&M) maj. dec. Derrik Russell (BKN), 12-1.
149: Andrew Murano (F&M) dec. Adam Healey (BKN), 7-1.
157: Vincent Favia (BKN) dec. Eric Norgard (F&M), 7-1.
165: Corey Lear (BKN) pinned Colin Lahiff (F&M), 2:36.
174: Colin Gironda (F&M) dec. Robert Schlitt (BKN), 6-3 (tb1)
184: Robert Marchese (BKN) maj. dec. Ekow Eshun (F&M), 13-4.
197: Tyler Lyster (BKN) maj. dec. Isaiah Cromwell (F&M), 14-2.
285: Joe Stolfi (BKN) pinned Alexander Henry (F&M), 0:31.
