Penn (9-7) opened the Duals by dominating host SIU-Edwardsville, 46-3, but then fell for the third time this year to a program from the highest collegiate division with a 27-18 score to Eastern Illinois. The Statesmen had already lost to Division I's Bloomsburg (Pa.) and Purdue at the Purdue Duals in December.
Matthew Chustz (Fr., Manassas Park, Va., Manassas Park HS) gave the Statesmen a positive start against the Cougars with an 11-4 victory at 125 as Penn won the first five matches of the meet. Dustin Howa (Fr., Price, Utah, Carbon HS) then picked up the first of three forfeits, collecting his at 133.
Earl Robinson (So., Davenport, Davenport Central HS), who recently broke the school single-season mark for takedowns, picked up six more in a 21-4 technical fall win at 141. The sophomore now has 140 takedowns on the season, surpassing Darren Cotton's (Jr., Atlanta, Ga., McNair HS) mark of 123 from last season.
Cotton claimed a default victory in his only match of the day at 149, while Brandon Graham (So., Oskaloosa, Oskaloosa HS) concluded the five-match win streak with a 20-5 technical fall at 157 to put Penn up 25-0 at that point. T.J. Stuart (Fr., Eddyville, Eddyville-Blakesburg HS) suffered Penn's only loss against the Cougars, falling 6-0 at 165, but Abel Trujillo (Jr., Durham, N.C., Riverside HS) got the Statesmen rolling forward again with a 48-second pin at 174.
Jorge Ortiz (Jr., Chicago, Ill., Wilbur Wright HS) also won, taking a 4-2 decision at 174, before Mark Lovelace (Jr., Adrian, Mo., Adrian R-1 HS) and Jordan Wall (Fr., Liberty, N.C., Eastern Randolph HS) put the exclamation point on the meet win by claiming forfeit victories at 197 and 285, respectively.
Chustz opened the dual against the Panthers of Eastern Illinois by receiving a forfeit victory. Howa put Penn up 9-0 with a 5-2 decision, but then the Statesmen backtracked a little as Robinson fell 8-3 at 141. Paul Carter (Jr., Carson City, Nev., Carson HS), who stepped in for Cotton at 149, helped put his squad back up by nine at 12-3 with a 7-4 decision. Angelo Love (Sr., Joliet, Ill., Joliet Township HS) also replaced a Penn starter in Graham but did not fare as well, losing by fall in the second period.
Stuart kept the Statesmen on top at 165 with a 7-1 decision, but the Panthers finally caught up to their foes at 174 as Trujillo lost by fall in the final seconds to knot the meet at 15-15. Ortiz notched Penn's final win of the day at 184 with a 6-3 decision to give Penn the lead back at 18-15, but Lovelace (forfeit in the second period) and Wall (pin) both succumbed to defeat and Eastern Illinois came away with the meet win.
Next time: Penn travels to Sioux City to compete in the NAIA Central Regional Tournament, Saturday, at 9 a.m. Regional champions in 2003 and 2004, the Statesmen are be looking to reclaim the regional title after finishing second a year ago to Dana (Neb.). Cotton will lead his squad as he pursues his third title in as many years. No other currently-eligible Penn wrestler has yet won a regional title in their careers.
William Penn vs. Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, 46-3
125--Matthew Chustz (P) won by decision over Sean Mead, 11-4 (3-0)
133--Dustin Howa (P) won by forfeit (9-0)
141--Earl Robinson (P) won by technical fall over Nathan Decker, 21-4 (14-0)
149--Darren Cotton (P) won by injury default over Joe Rujawitz (20-0)
157--Brandon Graham (P) won by technical fall over Andrew Isensee, 20-5 (25-0)
165--John Ficht (E) won by decision over T.J. Stuart, 6-0 (25-3)
174--Abel Trujillo (P) won by fall over Jacob Petri, 0:48 (31-3)
184--Jorge Ortiz (P) won by decision over Dan Midgett, 4-2 (34-3)
197--Mark Lovelace (P) won by forfeit (40-3)
285--Jordan Wall (P) won by forfeit (46-3)
William Penn vs. Eastern Illinois, 18-27
125--Matthew Chustz (P) won by forfeit (6-0)
133--Dustin Howa (P) won by decision over Tony Metzger, 5-2 (9-0)
141--Chase Beebe (E) won by decision over Earl Robinson, 8-3 (9-3)
149--Paul Carter (P) won decision over Jeff Tharp, 7-4 (12-3)
157--Thomas Johnson (E) won by fall over Angelo Love, 3:53 (12-9)
165--T.J. Stuart (P) won by decision over Tyler Brucker, 7-1 (15-9)
174--Kenny Robertson (E) won by fall over Abel Trujillo, 6:47 (15-15)
184--Jorge Ortiz (P) won by decision over Greg Perz, 6-3 (18-15)
197--Terron Williams (E) won by forfeit over Mark Lovelace (18-21)
285--Danny Perez (E) won by fall over Jordan Wall, 0:29 (18-27)
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