ASHLAND, Ohio - Redshirt junior Eric Howey had a pair of pins at 149 pounds as East Stroudsburg University split a pair of duals at Ashland on Saturday, posting a 21-20 victory over Olivet (Mich.) and falling 23-15 to host Ashland.

ESU won its opener vs. Olivet on criteria after wrestling to a 20-20 tie. Both schools won five bouts, but ESU had two victories by fall - from Howey at 149 and redshirt freshman Eric Januszkiewicz at 141 - to emerge with the win.

The Warriors won three straight bouts from 133 through 149 with redshirt sophomore Marius Kola winning a 3-2 decision at 133, followed by first-period pins from Januszkiewicz at 141 (2:31) and Howey at 149 (16 seconds).

Olivet, a member of NCAA Division III, won the next three bouts to tie the team score at 15-15.

Redshirt senior Luke DeLuise posted a 4-3 decision at 184 for an 18-15 lead, while Olivet took a 20-17 advantage with a technical fall and a deducted point from ESU at 197 pounds.

Junior Tyson Searer had a clutch 4-0 decision at 285 pounds to knot the dual at 20-20 and send the final verdict to criteria. Searer improves his career dual record to 25-7.

The Warriors had two wins on the mat against Ashland, with Howey winning by fall in 57 seconds at 149, and freshman Cody Cooper posting an 8-3 decision at 285 in his first career dual.

ESU received a forfeit at 125, while Ashland got major decisions at 133 (from No. 2-ranked Michael Labry) and 141.

After Howey's pin at 149, Ashland squeezed out five straight decisions from 157 through 197 to take control.

Ashland won match-ups of regionally-ranked wrestlers (ESU competes in Super Region 1, Ashland is in Super Region 2) at 184 and 197.

At 184, Kurt Schaefer (SR2 #5) notched a 5-4 decision over DeLuise (SR1 #5). At 197, Brandon O'Neill (SR2 #2) had a 7-6 decision over sophomore Tyler Richardson (SR1 #4).

ESU is back on the mat on Tuesday, January 13 with a 7 p.m. PSAC dual against Shippensburg.
 
 
ESU 21, Olivet 20 (ESU earned 1 team point on criteria - most falls)
125 - Michael Schmidt (O) dec. Connor Maliff, 2-0; Olivet leads 3-0
133 - Marius Kola (ESU) dec. Matt Darling, 3-2; Tied 3-3
141 - Eric Januszkiewicz (ESU) pinned Dean Roberts, 2:31; ESU leads 9-3
149 - Eric Howey (ESU) pinned Kyle Witgen, 0:16; ESU leads 15-3
157 - Kevin Papak (O) dec. Ardis Smith, 6-3; ESU leads 15-6
165 - Dan Fleet (O) dec. Matt Wax, 6-1; ESU leads 15-9
174 - Nicholas Africano (O) pinned Dan Ingulli, 1:22; Tied 15-15
184 - Luke DeLuise (ESU) dec. Justin Johnson, 4-3; ESU leads 18-15
197 - Thomas Hall (O) tech. fall Tyler Richardson, 28-13; Olivet leads 20-17 (ESU lost a point on a technical)
285 - Tyson Searer (ESU) dec. Jesse Judge, 4-0; Tied 20-20

DII Regional rankings:
184 - Luke DeLuise (#5 SR1)
197 - Tyler Richardson (#4 SR1)


Ashland 23, ESU 15
125 - Connor Maliff (ESU) wins by forfeit; ESU leads 6-0
133 - No. 2 Michael Labry (AU) maj. dec. Marius Kola, 13-2; ESU leads 6-4
141 - Ty Davis (AU) maj. dec. Eric Januszkiewicz, 8-0; Ashland leads 8-6
149 - Eric Howey (ESU) pinned Kyle Wahl, 0:57; ESU leads 12-8
157 - Sean Houghton (AU) dec. Ardis Smith, 5-0; ESU leads 12-11
165 - Brenden Stanley (AU) dec. Matt Wax, 4-1; Ashland leads 14-12
174 - Cory Workman (AU) dec. Dan Ingulli, 6-4; Ashland leads 17-12
184 - Kurt Schaefer (AU) dec. Luke DeLuise, 5-4; Ashland leads 20-12
197 - Brandon O'Neill (AU) dec. Tyler Richardson, 7-6; Ashland leads 23-12
285 - Cody Cooper (ESU) dec. Tyler Shank, 8-3; Ashland wins 23-15

DII Regional rankings:
133 - Michael Labry (Ashland, #1 SR2)
141 - Ty Davis (Ashland, #5 SR2)
184 - Luke DeLuise (#5 SR1); Kurt Schaefer (Ashland, #5 SR2)
197 - Tyler Richardson (#4 SR1); Brandon O'Neill (Ashland, #2 SR2)