WVU Pulls Out Win at Rutgers
By Brian Kuppelweiser
WVU Sports Information Office
January 28, 2012
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – For the second consecutive weekend, the West Virginia University wrestling team used a victory at heavyweight to score a team victory, as it defeated Rutgers, 21-18.
The match was even further complicated by the fact that the Mountaineers forfeited the 197-pound bout due to injury.
“When you are coming in and starting the match down 6-0, you want to see some people respond,” said coach Craig Turnbull. “We needed some extra effort, and we needed some wins at weight classes where we haven’t gotten them in the past couple of weeks.”
WVU looked to erase the burden of the forfeiture quickly, as junior Shane Young (125) and redshirt sophomore Nathan Pennesi (133) took to the mat.
Young worked a takedown on his opponent late in the first period, and then used an escape followed by a takedown to stretch his lead to 5-1. Young would close out the match by earning the riding time point and a 6-1 victory.
Pennesi followed Young’s victory with a major decision against Joe Langel. The native of Latrobe, Pa., scored three near fall points after a first period takedown and was able to open up a 5-1 lead. Pennesi continued his dominance in both the second and third period, as he finished with a 13-2 advantage that gained the Mountaineers a bonus point.
After sophomore Michael Morales (141) was pinned in the second period of his match, redshirt freshman Brutus Scheffel (149) turned the match in favor of WVU again.
In a tough, physical match, Scheffel scored a takedown in sudden victory that gave him a 6-4 victory over the Scarlet Knights’ Anthony Perrotti.
“Usually when a match gets as physical as that one did, I tend to get more physical,” said Scheffel. “I kept my composure, though. I wrestled as tough as I could between the whistles, and I just tried to give my team a boost.”
Scheffel’s win was followed by a victory by freshman Dominic Prezzia, who snapped a six-match losing streak. Regulation ended in a 1-1 tie, but Prezzia earned the riding time point with 1:09 on top that gave him a 2-1 victory.
“The efforts we got out of Brutus and Dominic were very critical to our team’s success today,” Turnbull said. “They recognized how important their role was going to be this afternoon.”
Rutgers would turn the momentum again, though, with a win at 165 pounds and a 5-3 win in the tiebreaker at 174 pounds.
Matt Ryan’s 10-1 major decision at 184 pounds put the match score at 18-17 in favor of the Scarlet Knights and left the meet in the hands of redshirt senior Brandon Williamson for the second consecutive meet.
In the heavyweight match, Williamson outmuscled his opponent and proved to be too strong on his way to a 14-3 major decision.
“Brandon was in a situation that he was comfortable in,” Turnbull said. “There are not a lot of guys in that weight class that are like him that can change the complexion of the dual meet completely. He is wrestling very well and very comfortably right now.”
The Mountaineers’ record now moves to 6-3 overall this season, and they will return to the Coliseum on Saturday night for an Eastern Wrestling League matchup against rival Pitt at 7:30 p.m.
Result:
125: Shane Young (WVU) def. Vince Dellefave (RU), 6-1
133: Nathan Pennesi (WVU) def. Joe Langel (RU), 13-2
141: Bill Ashnault (RU) def. Michael Morales (WVU), fall 4:42
149: Brutus Scheffel (WVU) def. Anthony Perrotti (RU), 6-4 SV
157: Dominic Prezzia (WVU) def. Dave Seidenberg (RU), 2-1
165: Scott Winston (RU) def. Kyle Eason (WVU), 5-2
174: Greg Zannetti (RU) def. Lance Bryson (WVU), 5-3 SV
184: Matt Ryan (WVU) def. Evan Brewer (RU), 10-1
197: Daniel Rinaldi def. WVU, forfeit
HWT: Brandon Williamson (WVU) def. Carl Bucholz (RU), 14-3
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