WEST POINT, N.Y. - East Stroudsburg University won three straight bouts from 165 through 184 and left Army's Gillis Field House with a hard-earned 15-15 tie against the Black Knights on Friday night in EIWA dual action.
ESU had dropped five straight matches to Army since a 21-16 win during the 2002-03 season and trailed 14-3 in the all-time series, but used a strong effort from the entire lineup in a match that saw every bout won by regular decision. Army is 12-4-2 (4-1-1 EIWA), while the Warriors are 4-12-1 and 1-2-1 in EIWA contests.
The match opened at 285 pounds, where ESU junior Chris Birchler took a 7-3 decision over Michael Sprigg. The heavyweights were knotted at 2-2 entering the final period, but Birchler got a quick escape and two takedowns to give the Warriors an early lead. Birchler improves to 17-4 overall and 12-2 in duals this season.
Army's Lance Penhale won a 6-1 decision over redshirt sophomore David Luthy at 125 before redshirt senior Matt Swallow recaptured the lead for the Warriors with an 8-1 decision over Connor McCarthy. Swallow captured his 15th win of the season.
The Black Knights won the next three bouts, beginning with Casey Thome's 9-5 decision over sophomore Matthew Rizzo at 141 in a match that featured two reversals by each wrestler and a near fall for Rizzo just over a minute into the contest. No. 10-ranked Matt Kyler won an 11-4 decision over redshirt senior Scott Heckman at 149, and Rudy Chelednik used a reversal in the second period and the riding time point for a 3-0 decision against redshirt freshman Ken Monarque to give Army a 12-6 advantage.
Redshirt freshman Thad Frick began the Warriors' comeback at 165, where he nearly scored a major decision against Michael Gorman in taking a 10-3 decision. Frick had a takedown and back points in the first period, added two more takedowns in the second and picked up an escape and the riding time point in the final period.
A pair of newcomers, redshirt sophomore Jeff Jacobs (174) and sophomore Ed Ebewo (184), followed Frick's win with a pair of critical victories for the Warriors. Jacobs scored the only takedown of his bout with Jacob Vetter in the first period and earned a 3-2 decision.
At 184, Ebewo and John Drew entered the final period tied at 7-7 after Drew fought free for an escape with three seconds left in the second. Ebewo started the final period on bottom but got two points for a reversal at 1:45, and picked up another point when Drew was called for stalling. Ebewo notched another two points for a near fall in the final minute.
ESU led 15-12 going into the final bout of the night, the 197-pound contest between Army's Richard Starks, ranked No. 20 in the nation, and ESU redshirt junior Shane Mallory. Mallory had a takedown and Starks escaped in the first period, and Starks rode out Mallory through the entire second period to enter the third down 2-1 but holding a 1:46 advantage in riding time.
Starks escaped to open the period and tie the score at 2-2, then took down Mallory and immediately let him up for a 4-3 lead. Mallory got in for a takedown with 42 seconds left but Starks had a quick escape for a 5-5 score, and the riding time point gave Army a 6-5 decision in the bout and salvaged the 15-15 tie.
The Warriors, who were coming off a solid 27-9 win at Millersville on Wednesday, are back on the road for a 1 p.m. dual at Boston University, the alma mater of ESU head coach Joey Rivera, on Sunday afternoon.
ESU 15, Army 15
285 - Chris Birchler (E) dec. Michael Sprigg, 7-3
125 - Lance Penhale (A) dec. David Luthy, 6-1
133 - Matt Swallow (E) dec. Connor McCarthy, 8-1
141 - Casey Thome (A) dec. Matt Rizzo, 9-5
149 - No. 10 Matt Kyler (A) dec. Scott Heckman, 11-4
157 - Rudy Chelednik (A) dec. Ken Monarque, 3-0
165 - Thad Frick (E) Michael Gorman, 10-3
174 - Jeff Jacobs (E) dec. Jacob Vetter, 3-2
184 - Ed Ebewo (E) dec. John Drew, 12-7
197 - No. 20 Richard Starks (A) dec. Shane Mallory, 6-5
