Jan. 19, 2007

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - The No. 17 Mercyhurst College wrestling team (4-6) won both of its matches on the first day of the East Coast Duals at Pitt-Johnstown. The Lakers scored a total of six pins between a lopsided 40-6 win over UNC-Pembroke and a 22-19 win over No. 19 Carson-Newman.

Zack Schafer, the No. 3 wrestler at 174, pinned both of his opponents on the day.

In the opener, Mercyhurst won nine bouts, including four by fall, as the Lakers handed UNC-Pembroke a 40-6 defeat.

Heavyweight Mike Sullivan had the fastest of the four pins, using just 1:35 to take out Scott Metcalf.

Mercyhurst won each of the first eight bouts, before taking an injury default at 197 for Pembroke's only win of the evening.

After Payne Lint, Braxdon Scaletta and J.J. Zanetta scored decisions in the first three bouts, Leonard Calhoun and Brian Pogel notched back-to-back pins to put the match away. Calhoun pinned Willie Hilton in 7:55 and Pogel put Rashaad Saunders on his back in 3:23 as Mercyhurst took a 21-0 lead.

Hudson Harrison followed with a 15-7 major decision at 165 and Zack Schafer registered a win by fall over Aaron Lynch in 3:44 at 174. Trevor Gallo's 7-0 shutout win at 184 gave the Lakers a 34-0 lead.

The evening's second match went a little differently for the Lakers. Carson-Newman won the first two bouts and still led 9-6 after the bout at 157. But a major decision by Hudson Harrison, 14-3, at 165 gave the Lakers the lead for good. Schafer followed with his second pin, dispatching Justin Ransom in 3:23.

Trevor Gallo notched the fastest and last of the Lakers' six falls on day one, pinning Tom Minwell in less than a minute, 0:55. His win at 197 sealed the victory for Mercyhurst.

Mercyhurst finishes action at the East Coast Duals on Saturday, January 20 with matches against Belmont Abbey (9:00 AM), Anderson (S.C.) (1:00 PM) and No. 12 Newberry (3:00 PM).