Pitt
Penn State Open
Six Wrestlers Place At Nittany Lion Open
12/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Dec. 7, 2009
PITTSBURGH -
The 25th-ranked Pitt wrestling team had a successful day at the Nittany Lion Open Sunday as six Panthers placed, highlighted by a second place finish by junior heavyweight Ryan Tomei.
Also placing on the day were Anthony Zanetta at 125 (fifth), Tyler Nauman at 141 (fifth), Mark Powell at 157 (seventh), Ethan Headlee at 174 (sixth) and Matt Wilps at 197 (fourth) in addition to Tomei.
Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) won his first two matches of the day before falling to the consolation bracket. The true freshman didn’t let that discourage him, however, as he won five consecutive, including a major decision and a fall, to take fifth. Zanetta claimed that fifth place spot by a close 9-8 decision over Matthew Snyder of Virginia.
Previously undefeated headed into the weekend, Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) started off the weekend strong at 141 with a 12-0 major decision in the first round over Nicholas Hucke of Missouri, and earned a fall (6:11) over Alex Cournoyer of Boston. Nauman, however, fell in the third round to Colby Pisani of Penn State, 9-3, and dropped to the consolation bracket. Nauman won the next three, including a fall (6:31) over Cody Farinella of Missouri to take fifth.
Powell (Washington, Pa./Trinity/Purdue) went 6-2 on the day to earn a seventh place finish at 157 following a 3-0 decision over Corey Lear of Bucknell. In the 165 weight class, Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg) wrestled unattached and picked up a sixth place finish. On the day, the junior picked up a fall (4:21) against Owen Smith of Maryland and a 14-6 major decision over Michael Billings of Navy.
In the 197 weight class, Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) earned a fourth place finish, including a 10-1 major decision over A.J. Brentzel of Pitt-Johnstown, who wrestled for the Panthers last season. Wilps fell in the third place match, 7-6, to Brent Haynes of Missouri, which placed him fourth overall.
Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) started out the Nittany Lion Open with a fall (6:18) over Mike Cook from Bellefonte and followed it up with a 10-2 major decision over Mike McClure of Michigan State. The junior picked up two more wins before falling in the championship round, 3-2, to Zachery Rey of Lehigh. Tomei is now 14-2 on the year with both losses coming to sixth-ranked Rey.
The Panthers will host both Rutgers and rival Penn State Saturday, Dec. 12 at 5 p.m. at Fitzgerald Field House for Pitt’s home opener.
