Pins by Phillipi and Rahmani gives Pitt a 21-19 home win over No. 14 UNI
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PITT PRESS RELEASE
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh wrestling team upset No. 14 Northern Iowa, 21-19, Saturday afternoon at the Fitzgerald Field House thanks to a win in the final bout by heavyweight Demetrius Thomas.
With the victory, Pitt improves to 2-0 on the year, while UNI drops to 0-1. The Panthers now lead the all-time series 2-1, defeating UNI for the first time since 2000.
The individual wins were split down the middle at five a piece, but wins by redshirt junior Kellan Stout at 197 pounds and Thomas at heavyweight down the stretch were the difference makers.
Northern Iowa got on the board first at 125 pounds after Jay Schwarm pinned freshman Brendon Fenton in 4:50, taking the first lead 6-0.
The large and quick lead didn't faze redshirt freshman Micky Phillipi at 133 pounds, as the 13th-ranked Panther went out and pinned Jay Schipper in 2:39 to tie the dual 6-6.
Senior LJ Bentley was next on the mat for Pitt at 141 pounds as he faced No. 9 Josh Alber from UNI. Bentley fell behind early on and entered the final period trailing, 3-0. Beginning the third in the bottom position, Bentley used a reversal to cut Alber's lead to 3-2. With one minute to go, Alber escaped, bringing the score to what would be the final, 4-2. UNI regained the lead 9-6 following the win.
Making his senior debut at 149 pounds was Robert Lee as he faced Derek Holschag. After a scoreless first period, Lee began the second on bottom and escaped for the first point of the match. Entering the third with a 1-0 lead, Holschlag escaped to tie it 1-1. Lee looked for the late takedown, but couldn't execute before time expired. Moving to sudden victory, Lee used a quick takedown to seal the deal and the 3-2 win, tying the dual at 9-9.
Moving to 157 pounds, redshirt junior Taleb Rahmani, who ranks No. 8 in his weight class, faced Patrick Schoenfelder. Rahmani scored a quick takedown for the early 2-0 lead, but Schoenfelder escaped soon after. Rahmani then reversed Schoenfelder and caught him on his back for a pin in 2:36, giving Pitt a 15-9 lead in the team race.
UNI regained the lead in the dual after collecting three consecutive wins at 165, 174 and 184 pounds, 19-15.
With two bouts remaining, Stout stepped up to the challenge at 197 pounds as he faced Izaak Shedenhelm. Stout came out firing, scoring a quick takedown for a 2-0 lead. Shedenhelm was then hit was two consecutive stall warnings, giving Stout a 3-0 lead entering the second. Beginning the second frame in the top position, Stout rode out Shedenhelm the entire period and collected another point off a Shedenhelm stall warning. Entering the third in the bottom position, he escaped and added another point with riding time en route to the 6-0 decision, cutting UNI's lead to 19-18.
The heavyweight match would decide the outcome of the dual. Thomas faced Carter Isley and wasted no time scoring a takedown for the 2-0 lead. Isley escaped bringing the score to 2-1 entering the second. Thomas began the second frame on top, but an Isley escape would tie things 2-2. Moving to the final period, Thomas escaped and scored a takedown regaining the lead, 5-2. Isley escaped but it wouldn't be enough as Thomas scored another takedown and added on one more point with riding time. Thomas' win lifted Pitt to victory, 21-19.
The Panthers' last win over a ranked opponent was Jan. 7, 2018 when they upset No. 18 Oklahoma, 19-18, in similar fashion. Former heavyweight and 2018 graduate Ryan Solomon lifted Pitt to victory with a final-bout pin.
The Panthers will have some time off before their next competition as they head to Nevada for the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite Nov. 30-Dec. 1.
Pittsburgh 21, No. 14 Northern Iowa 19
at Pittsburgh, Pa.
125: #20 Jay Schwarm (UNI) pins Brendon Fenton (UP) 4:50
133: #18 Micky Phillipi (UP) pins Jay Schipper (UNI) 2:39
141: #9 Josh Alber (UNI) dec. Lorenzo Bentley (UP) 4-2
149: Robert Lee (UP) dec. Derek Holschlag (UNI) 3-1 SV1
157: #12 Taleb Rahmani (UP) pins Patrick Schoenfelder (UNI), 2:36
165: #7 Bryce Steiert (UNI) dec. #18 Jake Wentzel (UP) 7-0
174: #9 Taylor Lujan (UNI) maj. dec. Gregg Harvey (UP) 9-1
184: #11 Drew Foster (UNI) dec. #16 Nino Bonaccorsi (UP) 9-6
197: Kellan Stout (UP) dec. Izaak Shedenhelm (UNI), 6-0
285: Demetrius Thomas (UP) dec. Carter Isley (UNI), 8-3
UNI PRESS RELEASE
by Michelle Van Dorn
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – UNI wrestling opened its dual season with a 21-19 loss to Pittsburgh (2-0) today.
The No. 13 Panthers earned bonus points from Jay Schwarm at 125 pounds and Taylor Lujan at 174 pounds.
Schwarm dominated his bout at 125 pounds nearly getting a fall in the first period. He went into the second period up 6-0 before pinning UP’s Brendon Fenton in 4 minutes, 50 seconds.
Pittsburgh would tie up the score with a first-period fall over UNI’s Jay Schipper.
Josh Alber fell behind early in the 141-pound match, but he came out on top with a 4-2 decision to give the Panthers the lead in team scoring after three weights.
Derek Holschlag made his dual debut at 149 pounds. Trailing 1-0 to start the third period, Holschlag tied it up with an escape to push it into sudden victory. UP’s Robert Lee got the takedown for the 3-1 decision.
Redshirt freshman Patrick Schoenfelder nearly pinned No. 12 Taleb Rahmani, Pitt’s only returning NCAA qualifier from last year. Schoenfelder led 7-2 after getting four nearfall points before Rahmani was able to reverse Schoenfelder and get the fall in 2:36.
In the first top-20 matchup with No. 7 Bryce Steiert of UNI and No. 18 Jake Wentzel at 165 pounds. Steiert earned a takedown and wrapped up riding time in the second period but wasn’t able to secure the major decision. Steiert earned a 7-0 decision over Wentzel.
At 174 pounds, Lujan notched his 11th career major decision with a 9-1 win over Pitt’s Gregg Harvey to give UNI the team lead.
The second top-20 matchup of the day came at 184 pounds. Drew Foster earned the decision over No. 16 Nino Bonaccorsi to give the Panthers a four-point lead heading into the final two matches of the dual.
Losses by Izaak Shedenhelm at 197 pounds and Carter Isley at heavyweight gave Pittsburgh the edge they needed to secure the team win, 21-19.
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh wrestling team upset No. 14 Northern Iowa, 21-19, Saturday afternoon at the Fitzgerald Field House thanks to a win in the final bout by heavyweight Demetrius Thomas.
With the victory, Pitt improves to 2-0 on the year, while UNI drops to 0-1. The Panthers now lead the all-time series 2-1, defeating UNI for the first time since 2000.
The individual wins were split down the middle at five a piece, but wins by redshirt junior Kellan Stout at 197 pounds and Thomas at heavyweight down the stretch were the difference makers.
Northern Iowa got on the board first at 125 pounds after Jay Schwarm pinned freshman Brendon Fenton in 4:50, taking the first lead 6-0.
The large and quick lead didn't faze redshirt freshman Micky Phillipi at 133 pounds, as the 13th-ranked Panther went out and pinned Jay Schipper in 2:39 to tie the dual 6-6.
Senior LJ Bentley was next on the mat for Pitt at 141 pounds as he faced No. 9 Josh Alber from UNI. Bentley fell behind early on and entered the final period trailing, 3-0. Beginning the third in the bottom position, Bentley used a reversal to cut Alber's lead to 3-2. With one minute to go, Alber escaped, bringing the score to what would be the final, 4-2. UNI regained the lead 9-6 following the win.
Making his senior debut at 149 pounds was Robert Lee as he faced Derek Holschag. After a scoreless first period, Lee began the second on bottom and escaped for the first point of the match. Entering the third with a 1-0 lead, Holschlag escaped to tie it 1-1. Lee looked for the late takedown, but couldn't execute before time expired. Moving to sudden victory, Lee used a quick takedown to seal the deal and the 3-2 win, tying the dual at 9-9.
Moving to 157 pounds, redshirt junior Taleb Rahmani, who ranks No. 8 in his weight class, faced Patrick Schoenfelder. Rahmani scored a quick takedown for the early 2-0 lead, but Schoenfelder escaped soon after. Rahmani then reversed Schoenfelder and caught him on his back for a pin in 2:36, giving Pitt a 15-9 lead in the team race.
UNI regained the lead in the dual after collecting three consecutive wins at 165, 174 and 184 pounds, 19-15.
With two bouts remaining, Stout stepped up to the challenge at 197 pounds as he faced Izaak Shedenhelm. Stout came out firing, scoring a quick takedown for a 2-0 lead. Shedenhelm was then hit was two consecutive stall warnings, giving Stout a 3-0 lead entering the second. Beginning the second frame in the top position, Stout rode out Shedenhelm the entire period and collected another point off a Shedenhelm stall warning. Entering the third in the bottom position, he escaped and added another point with riding time en route to the 6-0 decision, cutting UNI's lead to 19-18.
The heavyweight match would decide the outcome of the dual. Thomas faced Carter Isley and wasted no time scoring a takedown for the 2-0 lead. Isley escaped bringing the score to 2-1 entering the second. Thomas began the second frame on top, but an Isley escape would tie things 2-2. Moving to the final period, Thomas escaped and scored a takedown regaining the lead, 5-2. Isley escaped but it wouldn't be enough as Thomas scored another takedown and added on one more point with riding time. Thomas' win lifted Pitt to victory, 21-19.
The Panthers' last win over a ranked opponent was Jan. 7, 2018 when they upset No. 18 Oklahoma, 19-18, in similar fashion. Former heavyweight and 2018 graduate Ryan Solomon lifted Pitt to victory with a final-bout pin.
The Panthers will have some time off before their next competition as they head to Nevada for the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite Nov. 30-Dec. 1.
Pittsburgh 21, No. 14 Northern Iowa 19
at Pittsburgh, Pa.
125: #20 Jay Schwarm (UNI) pins Brendon Fenton (UP) 4:50
133: #18 Micky Phillipi (UP) pins Jay Schipper (UNI) 2:39
141: #9 Josh Alber (UNI) dec. Lorenzo Bentley (UP) 4-2
149: Robert Lee (UP) dec. Derek Holschlag (UNI) 3-1 SV1
157: #12 Taleb Rahmani (UP) pins Patrick Schoenfelder (UNI), 2:36
165: #7 Bryce Steiert (UNI) dec. #18 Jake Wentzel (UP) 7-0
174: #9 Taylor Lujan (UNI) maj. dec. Gregg Harvey (UP) 9-1
184: #11 Drew Foster (UNI) dec. #16 Nino Bonaccorsi (UP) 9-6
197: Kellan Stout (UP) dec. Izaak Shedenhelm (UNI), 6-0
285: Demetrius Thomas (UP) dec. Carter Isley (UNI), 8-3
UNI PRESS RELEASE
by Michelle Van Dorn
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – UNI wrestling opened its dual season with a 21-19 loss to Pittsburgh (2-0) today.
The No. 13 Panthers earned bonus points from Jay Schwarm at 125 pounds and Taylor Lujan at 174 pounds.
Schwarm dominated his bout at 125 pounds nearly getting a fall in the first period. He went into the second period up 6-0 before pinning UP’s Brendon Fenton in 4 minutes, 50 seconds.
Pittsburgh would tie up the score with a first-period fall over UNI’s Jay Schipper.
Josh Alber fell behind early in the 141-pound match, but he came out on top with a 4-2 decision to give the Panthers the lead in team scoring after three weights.
Derek Holschlag made his dual debut at 149 pounds. Trailing 1-0 to start the third period, Holschlag tied it up with an escape to push it into sudden victory. UP’s Robert Lee got the takedown for the 3-1 decision.
Redshirt freshman Patrick Schoenfelder nearly pinned No. 12 Taleb Rahmani, Pitt’s only returning NCAA qualifier from last year. Schoenfelder led 7-2 after getting four nearfall points before Rahmani was able to reverse Schoenfelder and get the fall in 2:36.
In the first top-20 matchup with No. 7 Bryce Steiert of UNI and No. 18 Jake Wentzel at 165 pounds. Steiert earned a takedown and wrapped up riding time in the second period but wasn’t able to secure the major decision. Steiert earned a 7-0 decision over Wentzel.
At 174 pounds, Lujan notched his 11th career major decision with a 9-1 win over Pitt’s Gregg Harvey to give UNI the team lead.
The second top-20 matchup of the day came at 184 pounds. Drew Foster earned the decision over No. 16 Nino Bonaccorsi to give the Panthers a four-point lead heading into the final two matches of the dual.
Losses by Izaak Shedenhelm at 197 pounds and Carter Isley at heavyweight gave Pittsburgh the edge they needed to secure the team win, 21-19.
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