The Gannon University men’s wrestling team suffered two close losses at the Hammermill Center Saturday against Mercyhurst Northeast and Seton Hill University.
The Knights’ B team rallied in the later matches to come within five points of beating the Saints but eventually fell 28-24 with Reese Vollmer, Nicolas Marsico, Owen Balas, Bryan Zehe and Brad Crislip picking up wins.
Gannon then proceeded to host Seton Hill in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference bout and rallied late again, only to come up a point short in an 18-17 loss.
Evan Fisler won at the 157-pound matchup with a 13-3 major decision that flipped momentum after a rough first four matches for the Knights.
Alex Farenchak, who was named PSAC wrestler of the week Monday, continued the winning streak at 165 with a 12-4 major win headed into the next match.
Luigi Yates won his match at 174 by a 9-8 score, helping Gannon get back to within three at 14-11.
Joel Leise and Freddie Nixon took care of their matches, 5-0 and 4-3, at 184 and 197, respectively, to leave the Knights in front, 17-14, with one match remaining.
Facing a size disadvantage, Gannon’s Gehrig Hutchison took on Seton Hill’s Jacob Beistel at 285 in the meet’s deciding match, but Beistel picked up two takedowns in each of the first two periods to build a 9-4 lead.
Beistel got a stall point late and added a riding time point to secure the 13-6 decision and tie the meet score at 17-17.
That meant the meet would come down to a tiebreaker.
In a match that was tight throughout, the tiebreaker cruised past the first two criteria — most bouts won (tied 5-5) and most six-point wins (tied 0-0).
The third criterion is most bout points scored in non-six-point matches, and Seton Hill earned a 66-65 edge there to sneak away with the win in the dual, 18-17.
The losses dropped the Knights to 3-5 overall and 1-1 in PSAC competition.
Gannon’s B team will travel to Penn State Behrend for a 7 p.m. match Thursday, and the Knights regulars will host Shippensburg at the Hammermill Center at 7 p.m. Friday in a PSAC dual meet.
Farenchak, a redshirt freshman, won PSAC honors for the first time. The nation’s No. 7-ranked Division II wrestler at 165 pounds, he improved to 17-7 on the season.
Farenchak’s 17 victories are tops on the team at this point, followed by Connor Day’s 16 and Austin Hertel’s 15. Twelve of Day’s 16 victories have come by pin.
Following Friday’s battle with Shippensburg, Gannon’s regulars will return to the mat Saturday, Feb. 1, at Kutztown.
JUAN BATISTA ROSA
[email protected]