LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University wrestling team opened Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) action with a dominating 31-6 win over visiting George Mason University tonight in front of a packed house at Thomas Fieldhouse.
 
Lock Haven (4-8, 1-0 EWL) won eight of 10 pounds, including four of the first five matches and the Bald Eagles got a huge pin from Fred Garcia (Donora, Pa./Ringgold) at 184 to help The Haven roll George Mason (7-6, 2-1 EWL).
 
Along with Garcia, Jake Field (South Elgin, Ill./Marmion Academy), Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco), Bobby Rehm (Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor), Dan Neff (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco), Aaron McKinney (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny), Tyler Wood (West Chester, Pa./West Chester-Rustin) and Phil Sprenkle (Seven Valleys, Pa./Dallastown) all won for the Bald Eagles.
 
Tonight's match started at the 157 pounds and the Patriots - who entered undefeated in EWL action and winners' of three of their last four duals – went up 3-0 after Elias Biddle dropped a hard-fought decision to Greg Flournoy.
 
Lock Haven then went on to win four straight at 165, 174, 184 and 197, thanks to wins from McKinney, Wood, Garcia and Sprenkle, respectively. The four-match win streak put Lock Haven up 16-3.
 
McKinney grinded out a 4-3 win over Patrick Davis at 165 to the tie the match at 3-3.
 
Wood's exciting 12-2 major at 174 put Lock Haven up 7-3. Wood led Ryan Forrest 4-1 after one period and used a quick second-period takedown, and three near-fall points to jump out to a commanding 9-1 lead after two. Wood racked up 3:17 of riding time on the way to the victory.
 
Garcia, who is nationally ranked at 184, gave LHU back-to-back bonus-point wins, thanks to a pin (6:11). He was up 13-5 on Ryan Hembury when he recorded the fall.
 
Sprenkle won 4-0 over Matt Meadows at 197.
 
Jake Kettler, George Mason's nationally-ranked 285-pounder snapped Lock Haven's win streak with a hard-fought 6-1 win over Brad Emerick.
 
Following the loss at 285, the Bald Eagles responded and closed the match by winning the final four bouts.
 
Field won by medical default in the second period and Perry's 11-4 win at 133 clinched the team victory. Perry, who is nationally-ranked at 133, jumped all over Vince Rodriguez early and held on for the 11-4 win.
 
Rehm won 6-4 at 141 over Sahid Kargbo and Neff lived up to his national-ranking with a 5-1 victory over Blake Roulo.
 
Lock Haven heads to Cleveland State Sunday (January 25) for a 2 p.m. EWL match.
 
Lock Haven 31 – George Mason 6
*match started at 157
157: Greg Flournoy (GMU dec. Elias Biddle (LHU) 6-2 | GMU leads 3-0
165: Aaron McKinney (LHU) dec. Patrick Davis (GMU) 4-3 | Tied 3-3
174: Tyler Wood (LHU) major dec. Ryan Forrest (GMU) 12-2 | LHU leads 7-3
184: #28 Fred Garcia (LHU) pinned Ryan Hembury (GMU) 6:11 | LHU leads 13-3
197: Phil Sprenkle (LHU) dec. Matt Meadows (GMU) 4-0 | LHU leads 16-3
285: #26 Jake Kettler (GMU) dec. Brad Emerick (LHU) 6-1 | LHU leads 16-6
125: Jake Field (LHU) wins by med default Ibrahim Bunduka | LHU leads 22-6
133: #33 Ronnie Perry (LHU) dec. Vince Rodriguez (GMU) 11-4 | LHU leads 25-6
141: Bobby Rehm (LHU) dec. Sahid Kargbo (GMU) 6-4 | LHU leads 28-6
149: #28 Dan Neff (LHU) dec. Blake Roulo (GMU) 5-1 | LHU wins 31-6
 
George Mason (7-6, 2-1 EWL)
Lock Haven (4-8, 1-0 EWL)