SHIPPENSBURG – East Stroudsburg University opened the night with three straight victories and led throughout, winning a total of seven bouts, to earn a 24-12 verdict at Shippensburg in NCAA Division II wrestling on Tuesday night at Heiges Field House.

Redshirt senior Shane Mallory (184), junior Ed Ebewo (197) and freshman Will Weaver (285) gave the Warriors a 10-0 advantage early in the night and the final four victories, also consecutive, put the match away.

Mallory opened the action with a 3-1 decision over Jon Hade, Ebewo dominated Brian Hindle for a 15-2 major decision and Weaver took an 8-3 decision against Tyler Zittle to put ESU (5-3) in front. Shippensburg (0-1) picked up nine points in the next two bouts, with a 4-3 decision by Justin Morris over redshirt junior David Luthy and Simon Rice's third-period pin (5:37) of redshirt sophomore Andrew Arnold, before the Warriors held off the Red Raiders.

Redshirt sophomore Adam Hluschak improved to 14-7 on the season with a 12-1 major decision over Tom Wiechelt at 141 pounds. Hluschak's record includes a 4-1 mark in duals, joining Mallory (14-5, 5-1 duals) as the only Warriors with one dual loss, and eight wins by bonus points this season.

Sophomore Eddie Stephenson followed with his second dual win of the year, an 8-2 decision over Devan Jones at 149 pounds. Redshirt sophomore Thad Frick (157) earned a 19-7 major decision in his bout with Bill Purvis, and redshirt junior Jeff Jacobs (165) picked up a 10-5 decision against Nate Reese. Frick and Jacobs both have 15 wins this season, the most on the team.

In the final bout of the night at 174, Chris Barrick knocked off ESU redshirt sophomore Ken Monarque, 7-3, in the only match-up of two wrestlers in the top six of the Division II East Regional in the most recent coaches poll. Barrick is seventh nationally and second in the region, and Monarque was ranked fourth in the East.

ESU will take a five-match winning streak into Friday night's match against Division I Navy at 7 p.m. at Koehler Fieldhouse. The Midshipmen won their first dual of the season last week against American.


ESU 24, Shippensburg 12

184 – Shane Mallory (ESU) dec. Jon Hade, 3-1 [3-0]
197 – Ed Ebewo (ESU) maj. dec. Brian Hindle, 15-2 [7-0]
285 – Will Weaver (ESU) dec. Tyler Zittle, 8-3 [10-0]
125 – Justin Morris (SU) dec. David Luthy, 4-3 [10-4]
133 – Simon Rice (SU) pins Andrew Arnold, 5:37 [10-9]
141 – Adam Hluschak (ESU) maj. dec. Tom Wiechelt, 12-1 [14-9]
149 – Eddie Stephenson (ESU) dec. Devan Jones, 8-2 [17-9]
157 – Thad Frick (ESU) maj. dec. Bill Purvis, 19-7 [21-9]
165 – Jeff Jacobs (ESU) dec. Nate Reese, 10-5 [24-9]
174 – No. 7 Chris Barrick (SU) dec. Ken Monarque, 7-3 [24-12]