Match Results
 
WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Jan. 14) – Though the Waynesburg University wrestling team came up just short of victory on Saturday night at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse, the Yellow Jackets proved they could grapple with the best in the country when third-ranked Ithaca came to town. The Yellow Jackets led going into the final bout of the night, but a pin at heavyweight snatched an 18-16 victory for the Bombers.
 
Waynesburg (5-8) won five bouts on the evening and led 16-12 going into the final contest of evening. However, the Bombers' (9-2) Matt Mahon fought off several strong takedown tries by Waynesburg sophomore Brandon Fedorka before catching the Yellow Jacket big man in a head lock for the match-deciding pin in 6:10.
 
The match started well for the Jackets as junior 125-pounder Alex Crown picked up a 4-2 win over Ithaca senior Max Cohen. After the Bombers took a 6-3 lead following back-to-back decision wins at 133 and 141 pounds, Jacket freshman Chris Milligan tied the match up 6-6 with a 4-1 victory over Kevin Collins at 149 pounds.
 
Waynesburg senior 157-pounder Garett Johnston continued his outstanding final season on the Jacket mats by picking up a 9-0 major decision victory over Jason Fraser to move his team ahead 10-6. Ithaca regained the lead (12-10) with decision victories at 165 and 174 pounds, before Jacket junior Cody Catalina took down Kyle McKeighan 7-2 and gave his team a 13-12 lead.
 
Freshman Patrick Jennings showed tremendous resolve in his 197-pound bout by taking down Shane Bartrum with just a few seconds showing on the clock in overtime to earn a 4-2 win. Even though Fedorka ended up suffering a disappointing loss at heavyweight, the sophomore nearly took Mahon down on multiple occasions in the first period in a match that was tied 0-0 before the Ithaca senior picked up the deciding win.
 
Though the Jackets ended up on the short-end of an 18-16 loss, Waynesburg was in every bout of the evening. Every decision loss was by four points or less and all of Ithaca's nationally-ranked grapplers had their hands full with scrappy grapplers from the home squad. Number-three 141-pounder Seth Ecker nearly gave up a bout-tying takedown late in the third period before picking up a 5-3 win over freshman Aaron Mills. Sophomore Sam Lombardo dropped a hard-fought 5-3 decision to 10^th-ranked Nick Sanko at 165 pounds. Freshman Ryan Walters stayed right with the top-ranked 174-pounder in the country before suffering a 6-2 defeat at the hands of Jules Doliscar.  
 
Waynesburg will have plenty of time to get over the loss as they are away from competition until Jan. 25, when they Yellow Jackets welcome Division II Ohio Valley to the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. Match time is scheduled for 7 p.m.