PHILADELPHIA – Competing at the historic Palestra Arena on the campus of the University of the Pennsylvania, the Lock Haven University wrestling team (5-6) picked up four wins, but it wasn't enough to help the short-handed Bald Eagles past a tough-Penn squad today as the Quakers won the meet, 25-14.
 
Penn (2-4), who received votes in this week's USA Today/NWCA Division I Coaches Poll, entered today's match with four wrestlers ranked in the most recent NCAA Coaches' Panel rankings, including No. 15 Frank Mattiace, who edged No. 30 Tristan Sponseller (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) , 3-2 in a thriller at 197 pounds.
 
Kyle Shoop (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs), nationally-ranked Thomas Haines (Quarryville, Pa./Ohio State), Jake Field (South Elgin, Ill./Marmion Academy) and DJ Fehlman (Warren, Pa./Warren) all posted wins for Lock Haven.
 
Today's dual started at 149 and Shoop put Lock Haven up 3-0 with an 8-5 win after he charged past Joe Oliva in the third period. Shoop's late rally helped the Bald Eagles get off to a fast start. Trailing 5-2 with less than 10 seconds remaining in the third period Shoop scored a late takedown to cut the lead to one, before securing four back points as time expired to come away with the thrilling win.
 
Penn went on to win the next five bouts before Haines, ranked No. 15 at 285, put LHU back on the board.
 
Haines was all over Tyler Hall from the beginning, scoring a takedown within the first 15 seconds of the match. Once he secured the first takedown he rode Hall out for the remainder of the first and he never looked back. Haines secured a major decision and defeated Hall 11-0.
 
At 125, Field came out flying in the first period forcing his opponent, to take two stall calls, before cruising to a 9-3 win over Jeremy Schwartz. Fehlman made it two straight Lock Haven victories with a 16-3 major over Tristan DeVincenzo at 133.
 
The Bald Eagles found themselves a bit short-handed today as they were without the services of No. 21 (141) Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco) and No. 28 (184) Corey Hazel (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley). Both are expected back in the lineup next week.
 
Lock Haven is right back at it tomorrow and hits the mats at No. 10 Cornell at 1 p.m.
 
Penn 25 – Lock Haven 14
*match started at 149
149: Kyle Shoop (LHU) dec. Joe Oliva (PENN) 8-5
157: #22 May Bethea (PENN) tech fall Jonathan Ross (LHU) 18-3 (6:05)
165: Brooks Martino (PENN) major dec. Jared Siegrist (LHU) 10-2
174: #10 Casey Kent (PENN) tech fall Adam Mackie (LHU) 15-0 (4:08)
184: #32 Joe Heyob (PENN) major dec. Gavin Caprio (LHU) 9-0
197: #15 Frank Mattiace (PENN) dec. #30 Tristan Sponseller (LHU) 3-2
285: #15 Thomas Haines (LHU) major dec. Tyler Hall (PENN) 11-0
125: Jake Field (LHU) dec. Jeremy Schwartz (PENN) 9-3
133: DJ Fehlman (LHU) major dec. Tristan DeVincenzo (PENN) 16-3
141: A.J. Vindici (PENN) major dec. Lewis Williams (LHU) 11-3
 
*rankings = NCAA Coaches' Panel Rankings (1/20/17)