Full Results

BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – Leading 21-19 entering the final bout, redshirt sophomore Cameron Kates, wrestling at 285 pounds, needed just 33 seconds to record a fall to secure a 27-19 victory for East Stroudsburg University over nationally ranked LIU Post.
 
ESU (2-1) tallied a victory against LIU Post for the second consecutive season after dropping each of the first three bouts between the two schools. The Pioneers, who entered the bout ranked No. 19 among NCAA Div. II programs would pull within two points of the Warriors on several different occasions.
 
Five different ESU wrestlers would tally victories in the dual as freshman Nick Reto and junior Colby Ems helped give the Warriors an early 11-0 lead through two bouts.
 
Reto, wrestling at 125 pounds, pinned Hunter Scutellero from LIU Post at the 2:21 mark to put ESU on top 6-0. Ems followed with a tech fall (16-0, 1:25) at 133 pounds over Brandon Mercado to make it 11-0.
 
The Pioneers rallied on their home mat, winning each of the next three bouts to trim the deficit to 13-11. Joe Calderone notched a 6-3 decision at 141 pounds against redshirt senior Dylan Nace, while Chris Gomez (149) and Anthony Dushaj (157) recorded a fall and major decision to pull LIU Post within two points of knotting the dual.
 
Junior Richard Viruet stopped the rally by the Pioneers with his tech fall (15-0, 5:00) victory against Kenny Cooper at 165 pounds. With the victory, Viruet improved his overall record to 16-4 and dual record to 2-0 for the Warriors.
 
ESU would take a 21-13 lead over the Pioneers as redshirt junior Mike Raccioppi pinned Dan Arkow in 2:32. Raccioppi has wrestled in each of ESU's duals this season and sits at 3-0, while his overall records stands at 16-2.
 
LIU Post recorded a pair of wins at 184 and 197 pounds to trim the deficit to 21-19 heading to the final bout. At 285 pounds, Kates knew that he would need a victory to stop a come from behind victory for the Pioneers on their home mat. Kates secured the victory for ESU with a pin of Tim Nagoski in 33 seconds.
 
The Warriors close the semester with a 2-1 mark in dual action and will have off until the New Year as ESU heads to Erie, Pa. on January 6 for a tri-match against Lake Erie and Mercyhurst.