Match Results (.pdf)
 
WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Nov. 14) – The Waynesburg University wrestling team squared off against perhaps the most talented lineup they'll see all year on Wednesday night as the Yellow Jackets played host to Division II Shippensburg. The 24^th-ranked Red Raiders, who feature multiple Division I transfers in their starting 10, jumped out to a 16-0 lead and went on to a score a 34-7 victory in the dual match opener for both teams.
 
Even though the Yellow Jacket (0-1) lightweights were swept from 125 to 149 pounds, several Orange and Black wrestlers showed tremendous heart in defeat. Freshman Gordan Bieber faced off against senior Chris Kochinsky, a transfer from the University of Pittsburgh and a Division II All-American, and gave up just an 8-2 decision to the veteran.
 
After Shippensburg (1-0) picked up a major decision win at 133, sophomore Jake Vitolo faced senior Tyler Erdman at 141. Erdman was an NCAA Division III national runner-up before transferring to Shippensburg, but that didn't seem to bother Vitolo, who came close to taking Erdman down on several occasions before falling 5-1.
 
After The Raiders forged a 16-0 lead following a win at 149 pounds, junior 157-pounder Sam Lombardo looked sharp in his season debut by scoring a 16-4 major decision over John Lindquist.
 
Following an intermission break in which the Jackets honored the 2012 PAC co-champion football team, sophomore Sam Guidi took sophomore Neal Grudi into overtime before dropping a hard-fought 8-6 decision. Junior Anthony Bonaventura nearly pulled off a come-from-behind upset of sophomore Luke Etter, a transfer from Division I Bloomsburg. Trailing 5-3 in the third period, Bonaventura scored a late takedown and let Etter, who had earned a point for riding, return to his feet. Now down just 6-5, Bonaventura shot in and, despite the pleas of the crowd at the Rudy Marisa, was not awarded the takedown and Etter took the bout 7-5.
 
Waynesburg's last win of the evening came at 184 pounds, where Catalina made his season debut with a 7-2 victory over Bobby Schievert. The Raiders won the final two contest of the match to bring about the final score of 34-7.
 
After getting Lombardo and Catalina back into the lineup, Waynesburg is expecting to see more of its regulars back in action on Saturday, Nov. 17, when the Jackets travel to Painesville, Ohio, for a quad-match at Lake Erie College. Along with the host Storm, another strong Division II program, the Jackets will square off with Division II Tiffin and Division III York. Start time for the first match is scheduled for 10 a.m.