ERIE, Pa – The Mercyhurst wrestling team opened up their 2021-22 season at home on Wednesday night in a thrilling contest between two nationally ranked teams in the Lakers and the visiting Golden Knights of Gannon. Gannon defeated Mercyhurst by a narrow 25-17 margin.

The Lakers began their scoring at the 133 pound bout with Eric Bartos defeating Gannon's Aseel Almudhala by technical fall. Alexis Soriano followed up by posting a key 6-3 decision victory over Gannon's Austin Hertel to put Mercyhurst up 8-4 on the team scoreboard.

Two bouts later featured Mercyhurst freshman Max Stedeford and Gannon's Nick Young who is nationally ranked 10th at 157. Stedeford won the back and forth battle by way of a 6-2 decision, the win was Stedeford's first career victory over a nationally ranked opponent. The win gave the Lakers an 11-7 edge on the scoreboard.

At 174, fellow freshman Dillon Walker had a big win of his own as he knocked off #12 Joseph Petrella in an electrifying bout that saw Walker take it in overtime by a 2-1 decision. Luke McGonigal followed by defeating Cam Page by decision for Mercyhurst to make the team score 17-13, unfortunately for the Lakers the Golden Knights were able to secure two falls in the final two bouts of the evening to take home the 25-17 victory.

Mercyhurst will return to the mats Saturday at Seton Hill before coming back to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center on Sunday for a dual against East Stroudsburg.


 

	Weight	Summary	MERC	GU
	125	Jacob Dunlop (Gannon) over Jacob Ruggeri (Mercyhurst) (MD 13-2)	0	4
	133	Eric Bartos (Mercyhurst) over Aseel Almudhala (Gannon) (TF 16-1 7:00)	5	0
	141	Alexis Soriano (Mercyhurst) over Austin Hertel (Gannon) (Dec 6-3)	3	0
	149	Dominic Means (Gannon) over Alex Samson (Mercyhurst) (Dec 12-5)	0	3
	157	Max Stedeford (Mercyhurst) over Nick Young (Gannon) (Dec 6-2)	3	0
	165	Alex Farenchak (Gannon) over Mike Clark (Mercyhurst) (Fall 4:07)	0	6
	174	Dillon Walker (Mercyhurst) over joseph petrella (Gannon) (SV-1 2-1)	3	0
	184	Luke McGonigal (Mercyhurst) over Cam Page (Gannon) (Dec 8-4)	3	0
	197	joel leise (Gannon) over Hunter Harnish (Mercyhurst) (Fall 4:14)	0	6
	285	freddie nixon (Gannon) over Justin Petrilena (Mercyhurst) (Fall 2:19)	0	6
			17	25