Wrestling Routs Slippery Rock In Season-Opener
11/23/1999 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Wrestling Routs Slippery Rock In Season-Opener
11/23/1999
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Senior Mike Ziska earned a 13-0 decision over Slippery Rock's Doug Cieleski. |
PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh wrestling team extended its undefeated all-time record over Slippery Rock to 7-0 tonight, when the Panthers took down the Rockets, 40-0, in their season opener at Fitzgerald Field House. The Panthers (1-0) won every bout and combined for five major decisions, one technical fall and one fall on the evening.
Junior 184-pounder Fabian Sciullo (West Mifflin, Pa./Central Catholic) started the match off with a bang with his first career fall in his first-ever start over the Rock's Randy Cimino at 1:07, giving Pittsburgh an early 6-0 lead. Panther sophomore Dan Stine (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) followed that up with a 25-12 major decision over Adam Shawver, before senior heavyweight Matt Mueller (North Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) added a 3-2 decision in the third bout of the night.
Sophomore James Thornton (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and junior Rob Loper (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) recorded consecutive major decisions at 125 (22-11) and 133 (23-9) pounds, respectively. It was Thornton's team-leading third (tied) major decision of the season. Loper, who is wrestling for the first time in dual competition since redshirting the 1998-99 season, recorded 11 takedowns during his match.
Sophomore Andy Villecco (Mickelton, Pa./Kingsway Regional) claimed the 141-pound weight class with an 8-2 decision over Slippery Rock's Chris Matarrese. Pittsburgh newcomer Justin Giovinco (Norristown, Pa./Plymouth-Whitemarsh), wrestling in his first collegiate dual match at 149 pounds, won a 10-2 major decision over Chris Elliott. Already this season, Giovinco (8-2 overall) has won four matches by fall and two by major decision.
Senior Mike Ziska (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) earned the Panthers' fifth and final major decision of the evening at 157 pounds, 13-0 over the Rock's Doug Cieleski. Two of Pittsburgh's most exciting matches followed with redshirt freshman Carl Fronhofer (Salem, N.Y./Salem) and junior Nick Mengerink (Upper Sandusky, Ohio/Carey) combining for 16 back points from near falls. Fronhofer completed a 13-0 major decision over Kenn Caudell at 165 pounds, while Mengerink won by a technical fall (15-0, 5:34) over John Opfar in the 174-pound weight class.
Indvidually, the Panthers outscored the Rockets 127-41. In Pittsburgh Head Coach Rande Stottlemyer's 21 year tenure, the Panthers are 15-5-1 in dual match season openers, and 14-5-2 in home openers at Fitzgerald Field House.
Pittsburgh will travel to Lock Haven this Saturday, Nov. 27, to compete in the Mat Town Invitational.
