ASHLAND, Ohio - Senior Jeffrey Pollard earned a 5-1 decision over Ashland's Kurt Schaefer in the heavyweight bout to help the Mercyhurst University wrestling team earn a victory on criteria against the Ashland Eagles on Friday night at Kates Gymnasium. It was the first dual meet of the season for both schools.

With the Lakers trailing 19-16 entering the final bout of the night, Pollard came up clutch for the Lakers, earning the decision and picking up the critical three points to tie the match at 19-19. Mercyhurst won the match on the third criterion - total match points (41-32). The first criterion was wins, but both teams had five on the night. The next criterion was pins, but each team had one. Neither team could be declared victorious until the totals were in the books on the third criterion. The official score, based on the wrestling rule book, reads Mercyhurst winning 20-19 (criterion 3.15.3).

Mercyhurst held a 36-31 lead in total match points heading into the final bout. Pollard needed to win to give the Lakers the victory and he delivered.

Mercyhurst was able to earn the victory on total match points thanks in large part to the first bout of the night at 125 pounds. Freshman Willie Bohince put Mercyhurst ahead 4-0 with a 15-2 major decision win over Ashland's Max Byrd. Bohince, with the victory, improved to 8-1 on the season.

Freshman Dylan D'Urso suffered his first defeat of the season at 133 pounds, losing a 4-3 decision to Ashland's Michael Labry. The Ashland victory cut the Mercyhurst lead to one at 4-3. D'Urso dropped to 8-1 on the season. Labry, also a freshman, improved to 10-0 on the young campaign.

The Lakers then rattled off three straight victories to take a 16-3 advantage. Sophomore Joey Miller earned a 7-2 decision over Ashland's Jake Garringer at 141 pounds and sophomore Michael Griffith pinned Ashland's Bobby Mason to pick up six points for the Lakers at 149 pounds. Redshirt junior Tyler Berger earned a 3-2 win over Ashland's Zeb Beam in the 157-pound bout.

Back came the Eagles, however, as they won the next four matches to take a 19-16 lead heading to the heavyweight bout. Ashland earned two victories by decision, one by major decision, and one by fall. Included in the stretch was senior Clint Schaefer suffering his first loss of the season in the 165-pound bout. Like D'Urso, Schaefer entered Friday with an 8-0 record, but suffered a 3-1 loss to Ashland's Jake Piatt.

The Laker grapplers will get right back into action on Saturday morning as Mercyhurst will compete in the Ohio Northern Invitational in Ada, Ohio. Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m.

Mercyhurst 19, Ashland 19 (Mercyhurst wins on criteria - total match points, 41-32)

125 - Willie Bohince (MU) maj. dec. over Max Byrd (AU), 15-2 (MU 4-0)
133 - Michael Labry (AU) dec. over Dylan D'Urso (MU), 4-3 (MU 4-3)
141 - Joey Miller (MU) dec. over Jake Garringer (AU), 7-2 (MU 7-3)
149 - Michael Griffith (MU) fall over Bobby Mason (AU), 2:51 (MU 13-3)
157 - Tyler Berger (MU) dec. over Zeb Beam (AU), 3-2 (MU 16-3)
165 - Jake Piatt (AU) dec. over Clint Schaefer (MU), 3-1 (MU 16-6)
174 - Brandon O'Neil (AU) dec. over Grant Chase (MU), 6-5 (MU 16-9)
184 - Bryson Hall (AU) fall over Eric Lundgren (MU), 3:24 (MU 16-15)
197 - Joe Brandt (AU) maj. dec. over Tyler Landfried (MU), 12-2 (AU 19-16)
285 - Jeffrey Pollard (MU) dec. over Kurt Schaefer (AU), 5-1 (19-19)

Mercyhurst 1-0, Ashland 0-1