Jan. 24, 2007
Contact: Josh Rattray
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Sophomore 157-pounder Victer Crenshaw defeated the eighth-ranked wrestler in the nation and sophomore Chris Hahn scored a pin at 197 pounds in the ninth bout of the night to lead Cleveland State to a 22-15 win over Pittsburgh at Fitzgerald Fieldhouse in downtown Pittsburgh. With the win, the Vikings improve to 8-2 and 1-0 in Eastern Wrestling League duals while the Panthers fall to 5-4 and 1-1.
Crenshaw (23-5) set the tone early, scoring a takedown in the first minute to take a 2-0 lead. Kocher (17-4) answered with an escape and the process repeated in the second period as the wrestlers battled to a 4-4 tie heading into the final period.
Kocher started the final period on top and Crenshaw quickly escaped to go up 5-4. Kocher then shot and Crenshaw sprawled and got behind Kocher for a takedown of his own to go up 7-5, which would be the final score.
"Victer is a complete wrestler," head coach Jack Effner said. "He's doing all the right things and he's only going to get better."
Hahn (9-4) lifted Pitt's Eric Cassidy early with a double-leg and then twisted him on his back. Hahn controlled Cassidy's head with his left arm and got the pin in exactly 60 seconds.
The pin gave CSU a 21-12 lead, clinching the win for the Vikings.
"That was a huge win and it will do wonders for our confidence," Effner said. "We beat a good team tonight, one that was ranked second in our league, and our guys were eager to prove that we were ready."
Junior Ryan Riggs (8-10) gave CSU an early lead with a 3-2 decision over Brad Gentzle. After being taken down, Riggs scored a pair of escapes to tie the bout, 2-2. Riggs would gain the decision after accumulating 1:28 of riding time in the second period.
After a major decision by Pitt's Drew Headlee, an All-American at 133 pounds, gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead, junior Mike Hurley (16-7) used two reversals and three near-fall points to win an 11-5 decision over Joe Ciampoli to put the Vikings ahead, 6-4.
Junior Ryan Hurley (21-8) extended the Vikings' lead to 10-4 with a key major decision over Mark Generalovich at 149 pounds. Hurley, the reigning EWL Wrestler of the Week, scored three late takedowns and added a point for riding time to turn a 4-2 bout into a 12-4 major decision, setting the stage for Crenshaw.
The Panthers pulled to within 13-12 in the next two matches, a decision by Sean Richmond (17-10) over sophomore Marcus Effner (18-13) at 165 pounds and a 20-5 tech fall by third-ranked Keith Gavin at 174 pounds.
Pitt's Zach Sheaffer (22-8) defeated sophomore Rahard Goff (21-11), 1-0, in the night's final bout. CSU was deducted a team point at the end of the meet to cut the final margin to six.
The Vikings, who have won five straight, return to action on Friday, Feb. 2 against Lock Haven at Woodling Gym. The meet is set for 7:00 p.m.
DUAL RESULTS CSU Pitt
125 - Ryan Riggs dec. Brad Gentzle (Pitt) - 3-2 3 0
133 - Drew Headlee (Pitt) major dec. David Armstrong - 10-0 3 4
141 - Mike Hurley dec. Joe Ciampoli (Pitt) - 11-5 6 4
149 - Ryan Hurley major dec. Mark Generalovich (Pitt) - 12-4 10 4
157 - Victer Crenshaw dec. Matt Kocher (Pitt) - 7-4 13 4
165 - Sean Richmond (Pitt) dec. Marcus Effner - 5-2 13 7
174 - # 3 Keith Gavin (Pitt) TECH FALL Nate Kmetz - 20-5 13 12
184 - David Gilkey dec. Kyle Deliere (Pitt) - 4-2 16 12
197 - Chris Hahn FALL Eric Cassidy (Pitt) (1:00) 22 12
285 - Zach Sheaffer (Pitt) dec. Rashard Goff - 1-0 22 15
*CSU deducted one point for unsportsmanlike conduct* 21 15
