The University of Pennsylvania wrestling team won all three of its duals at the Hofstra Duals on Sunday, improving to 3-1 this season and 1-0 in EIWA competition.
The closes dual of the day was the opener as Penn needed all 10 bouts to defeat a feisty Campbell team. After that, the Red and Blue cruised to wins in their next two matches -- scoring 30+ points in each dual.
Khamari Whimper (3-0), Joe Oliva (2-0), Joe Heyob (2-0), Frank Mattiace (2-0) and Jake Lizak (2-0) all went undefeated for the Quakers over the course of the day.
How It Happened vs. Campbell
Roger Reina's first dual meet win since 2005 was in the balance until the final bout against the Camels. Sophomore Jake Lizak secured a 6-5 decision at 141 pounds in his first collegiate dual meet to give the Quakers the three points needed to overcome a late deficit and finalize the 16-15 win.
Lizak scored first in his bout and led, 2-1, after one period. In the second, Lizak added a second takedown but found himself down by one point entering the final frame after Luke Stewart scored off a scramble in the final five seconds of the middle period. Lizak chose down for the third period and worked a reversal with 35 second to go and rode out to secure the 6-5 win and Roger Reina's 206th career dual meet victory.
Lizak's win ended a run of three Campbell victories which had turned a 13-6 Penn lead into a 15-13 deficit. Khamari Whimper had started a stretch of three consecutive Penn wins with a 13-9 win at 174 pounds. Whimper had three takedowns in the first period and added a reversal in the second for an 8-4 lead after two. Andrew Morgan mounted a bit of a comeback in the third period, but Whimper tacked on two more takedowns in the final minute for his first career dual meet win.
Penn's two ranked wresters followed with wins to extend Penn's lead. No. 17 Joe Heyob downed Luke Funck, 5-1, at 184 before No. 12 Frank Mattiace scored the only bonus points of the dual meet with an 11-2 major decision -- providing the one point of difference between the two teams.
The Quakers allowed the Camels to hang around in the match, conceding early leads in a few bouts. At 157, Jon Errico led Austin Kraisser, 4-2, after one period but allowed a reversal and two takedowns in the second period en route to a 10-7 loss. At 133, Gianni Ghione put together a takedown and two nearfall in the first period against Nathan Boston for a 6-5 lead but a reversal in the second gave Boston a 7-6 lead which Ghione could not flip in the third.
Penn defeats Campbell, 16-15
149: Joe Oliva (Penn) DEC Benjamin Barton (Campbell), 9-3 Penn leads, 3-0
157: Austin Kraisser (Campbell) DEC Jon Errico (Penn), 10-7 Match tied, 3-3
165: Quentin Perez (Campbell) DEC Joe Velliquette (Penn), 11-6 Campbell leads, 6-3
174: Khamari Whimper (Penn) DEC Andrew Morgan (Campbell), 13-9 Match tied, 6-6
184: No. 17 Joe Heyob (Penn) DEC Luke Funck (Campbell), 5-1 Penn leads, 9-6
197: No. 12 Frank Mattiace (Penn) MD Austin McNeil (Campbell), 11-2 Penn leads, 13-6
285: No. 20 Jere Heino (Campbell) DEC Patrik Garren (Penn), 3-1 Penn leads, 13-9
125: Korbin Meink (Campbell) DEC Daniel Planta (Penn), 8-2 Penn leads, 13-12
133: Nathan Boston (Campbell) DEC Gianni Ghione (Penn), 7-6 Campbell leads, 15-13
141: Jake Lizak (Penn) DEC Luke Stewart (Campbell), 6-5 Penn leads, 16-15
How It Happened vs. The Citadel
The Quakers won seven total bouts in the dual meet -- six coming with bonus points -- to storm away from the Bulldogs, 35-10. After dropping the first bout at 149, the Quakers won four in a row to take a 17-3 lead.
Jon Errico picked up his first career dual meet win with a 4-2 decision at 157 before Joe Velliquette picked up a pin at 165 to give Penn a 9-3 lead. Khamari Whimper and Brian Krasowski (also his first career dual meet win) would follow with major decisions and Penn found itself with a 17-3 lead midway through the dual.
After a Citadel win at 197, Patrik Garren pinned his opponent just under two minutes into the first period to give Penn a 23-6 lead. The Citadel forfeited at 125 and 133, sending 12 more points Penn's way and helping the Red and Blue to their highest point total in a dual meet since a 37-0 win over Drexel on Feb. 24, 2013.
Penn defeats The Citadel, 35-10
149: Tyler Buckiso (The Citadel) DEC Evan DeLuise (Penn), 4-2 The Citadel leads, 3-0
157: Jon Errico (Penn) DEC Douglas Gudenburr (The Citadel), 4-2 Match tied, 3-3
165: Joe Velliquette (Penn) FALL Michael Mewhorter (The Citadel), 3:47 Penn leads, 9-3
174: Khamari Whimper (Penn) MD Michael Lopuchanski (The Citadel), 16-6 Penn leads, 13-3
184: Brian Krasowski (Penn) MD Chandler Sambets (The Citadel), 10-0 Penn leads, 17-3
197: Sawyer Root (The Citadel) DEC Robert Ng (Penn), 2-0 Penn leads, 17-6
285: Patrik Garren (Penn) FALL Michael McAleavey (The Citadel), 1:53 Penn leads, 23-6
125: Penn wins via forfeit Penn leads, 29-6
133: Penn wins via forfeit Penn leads, 35-6
141: Ethan Philips (The Citadel) MD Tristin DeVincenzo (Penn), 11-3 Penn leads, 35-10
How It Happened vs. Hofstra
Bonus points were again coming Penn's way early and often as the Quakers picked up eight wins -- six with bonus points -- to knock off EIWA foe Hofstra, 34-8.
The Quakers led, 9-0, after a tech fall from Joe Oliva and a major decision from Jon Errico to start the dual. Each wrestler held a 10-0 lead after the first period and used that early cushion to rack up bonus points for the team.
After a last-second loss at 165, Khamari Whimper showed signs of increased development at 174. The freshman took his opponent down to his back in the final 10 seconds, securing a six-point move and a 10-2 major decision. Heyob would follow with a 7-5 decision at 184 and Mattiace added another bonus-point win with a 15-5 major at 197.
Hofstra got back on the board with a tech fall from No. 6 Michael Hughes at heavyweight. He scored an early takedown and dialed up three sets of nearfall for the 16-0 win.
The Red and Blue won the final three matches to seal the victory. Freshman Daniel Planta picked up his first dual meet win with a 5-2 decision over Jacob Martin. Classmate Gianni Ghione followed with a first-period pin of Vinny Vespa -- Ghione's second fall of the weekend. Jake Lizak capped the day how he ended it, with a win. This time he dominated Charlie Kane in a 16-0 tech fall.
Penn defeats Hofstra, 34-8
149: Joe Oliva (Penn) TF Conor Muli (Hofstra), 16-0 (4:22) Penn leads, 5-0
157: Jon Errico (Penn) MD Ricky Stamm (Hofstra), 17-8 Penn leads, 9-0
165: Sage Heller (Hofstra) DEC Joe Velliquette (Penn), 6-5 Penn leads, 9-3
174: Khamari Whimper (Penn) MD Anthony Olivieri (Hofstra), 10-2 Penn leads, 13-3
184: No. 17 Joe Heyob (Penn) DEC Cory Damiana (Hofstra), 7-5 Penn leads, 16-3
197: No. 12 Frank Mattiace (Penn) MD Michael Oxley (Hofstra), 15-5 Penn leads, 20-3
285: No. 6 Michael Hughes (Hofstra) TF Patrik Garren (Penn), 16-0 (2:44) Penn leads, 20-8
125: Daniel Planta (Penn) DEC Jacob Martin (Hofstra), 5-2 Penn leads, 23-8
133: Gianni Ghione (Penn) FALL Vinny Vespa (Hofstra), 0:59 Penn leads, 29-8
141: Jake Lizak (Penn) TF Charlie Kane (Hofstra), 16-0 (4:43) Penn leads, 34-8
Penn returns to The Palestra on December 10 to host No. 7 Lehigh at 1 p.m.
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