Virginia Wrestling Closes Out Regular Season in Winning Fashion, Defeats American in Non-Conference Dual 34-7

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Feb. 22, 2003

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia wrestling team put the finishing touches on its regular season with a 34-7 victory over the American Eagles in a non-conference dual match on Senior Day at Memorial Gym. American took an early 4-0 lead after one match, but it was all UVa after that as Virginia won eight of the last nine matches to pull out a 27-point victory.

American’s Aviv Bercovicz picked up a 20-4 major decision win over Reed Landry (McLean, Va./Potomac) at 149 to give the Eagles an early 4-0 lead after one bout. However, the Cavaliers would go on to win eight of the final nine matches beginning with Tim Foley’s (Stafford, Va./Brooke Point) 17-0 technical fall win over Eric Fantegrossi at 149 to give Virginia a 5-4 lead. UVa would not relinquish its lead the rest of the way and the Cavaliers took a 10-5 lead when 165-pounder Will Durkee (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) followed Foley’s lead and posted a technical fall victory of his own when he defeated Aaron Baker 23-7. Virginia’s Brian Muir (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North) was awarded a win by forfeit at 174 to give the Cavaliers a 16-4 lead.

American cut the lead to 16-4 when Kyle Mason earned a 10-6 decision over Ram McDonnell (Suffolk, Va./Nansemond River) at 184. But Virginia would close out the match by winning the final five matches en route to victory. UVa’s Andy DeMartino (McLean, Va./Jefferson) pinned the Eagles’ Adam Montgomery at 5:43 into the 197-pound class to give Virginia a 22-7 lead before Josh Etu (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) earned a close 3-2 decision over Jared Hyman in the heavyweight class to make the score 25-7.

The Cavaliers’ Brian Sticca (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) picked up a 12-4 major decision win over Matt Pelligrino at 125 to give UVa a 29-7 advantage before Joe Alexander (Franklin, N.J./Delsea Regional) recorded a 16-0 technical fall over Dan Lebsenz at 133 to push the Cavaliers’ lead to 34-7. In the final bout of the dual, Virginia’s Bob Seidel (Wall, N.J./Wall) won a 10-3 decision over Tom Kniezewski at 141 to give UVa a 34-7 win.

With the victory, Virginia’s record improves to 12-5 overall. The Cavaliers will return to action on Saturday, March 8th when Virginia competes in the 2003 Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestling Championships. The event will take place at the Holmes Convocation Center in Boone, N.C. on the campus of Appalachian State University as part of the 2003 Mat Jam. The ACC and Southern Conference championships will take place as part of the Mat Jam event.

Here is a look at the results from the match:

Team ScoresAmerican	7Virginia		34

Weight	Opponents					Result	Team - UVa/AU149	Aviv Bercovicz (American) def. Reed Landry (UVa) 	MD, 20-4	0-4157	Tim Foley (UVa) def. Eric Fantegrossi (American)	TF, 17-0		5-4165	Will Durkee (UVa) def. Aaron Baker (American)	TF, 23-7		10-4174	Brian Muir (UVa) vs. No Match			Forfeit		16-4184	Kyle Mason (American) def. Ram McDonnell (UVa)	10-6		16-7197	Andy DeMartino (UVa) def. Adam Montgomery (AU)	Fall @ 5:43	22-7HWT	Josh Etu (UVa) def. Jared Hyman (American)		3-2		25-7125	Brian Sticca (UVa) def. Matt Pelligrino (American)	MD, 12-4	29-7133	Joe Alexander (UVa) def. Dan Lobsenz (American)	TF, 16-0		34-7141	Bob Seidel (UVa) def. Tom Kniezewski (American)	10-3		37-7

— UVa —