Wrestlers Win Eight of Ten Bouts against Old Dominion
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January 16, 1999
NORFOLK, Va. – The Cavaliers won eight of ten bouts against in-state rival Old Dominion and defeated the Monarchs 29-9 tonight in Norfolk to go 1-1 on the weekend. With the win, Virginia improves to 4-4-1 on the season while ODU falls to 2-6.
Virginia jumped out to a 12-0 lead as Mike Pacillo (Kenmore, N.Y./Kenmore West) and Jason Bernd (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) both decisioned their opponents at 133 and 141 respectively and John Pozniak (State College, Pa./State College) won by injury default over Chad Filson to boost the Hoos to a 12-0 lead. After Greg Francesca (Union, N.J./Blair Academy) was pinned to cut the deficit in half, 17th-ranked Jim Harshaw (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) put the Cavaliers ahead by 9 with an 11-5 defeat of George Sable. Josh Fannon of Old Dominion won in the final second with a takedown of John Qualter (Short Hills, N.J./Millburn) to cut the margin to six at 15-9, but the Cavaliers won the final four bouts, starting with Ryan McGrath’s (Blairstown, N.J./Blair Academy) 12-0 major decision at 184. Craig Fenstermaker (Hilton Head, S.C./Northampton (Pa.)) went two-for-two on the weekend with a 4-2 decision over Chris Harrington at 197, and Ryan Painter (Rainelle, W.V./Rainelle) won 8-3 at Heavyweight. Tenth-ranked Matt Roth (Wescosville, Pa./Parkland) moved into a tie for the all-time lead in career dual matches competed with his 55th career dual match (37-18) as he major decisioned Paul Jimienez 15-5 in the afternoon’s final bout.
Virginia returns to action this weekend as they travel to Lexington, Va. to compete in the Virginia State Intercollegiate Wrestling Championships. The Cavaliers are the two-time defending state champions, having won in Charlottesville in 1997 and Harrisonburg in 1998. Virginia has won six team titles, more than any other school in the history of the competition. Harshaw has won the 150-pound title the last two seasons and has also been named the Outstanding Wrestler of the Meet in both 1997 and 1998.
Wgt Bout Team Score (UVA-ODU) 133 Pacillo (UVA) dec. Alex Ernst 7-2 3-0 141 Bernd (UVA) dec. Andy Simons 13-8 6-0 149 Pozniak (UVA) WB inj. def. Filson 1:29 12-0 157 Jeff Rusak (ODU) WBF Francesca 2:31 12-6 165 Harshaw (UVA) dec. Sable 11-5 15-6 174 Fannon (ODU) dec. Qualter 7-5 15-9 184 McGrath (UVA) maj. dec. Brad Fitzpatrick 12-0 19-9 197 Fenstermaker (UVA) dec. Chris Harrington 4-2 22-9 HWT Painter (UVA) dec. Leevi MacDonald 8-3 25-9 125 Roth (UVA) maj. dec. Jimenez 15-5 29-9