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	February 6, 2002 #16 Bald Eagles Take Undefeated EWL Mark on the Road LHU Travels to #11 West Virginia, #23 Pittsburgh

	(Lock Haven, Pa.) - The #16 Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania wrestling team (13-3, 4-0 EWL) puts its undefeated Eastern Wrestling League record on the line this weekend with a trip to #11 West Virginia University (6-2, 2-0 EWL) and #23 University of Pittsburgh (11-3, 3-0 EWL). The Bald Eagles will take on the Mountaineers in Morgantown, W. Va., on Friday at 7:30 p.m. before heading back up to Pittsburgh, Pa., on Saturday to challenge the Panthers at 7:30 p.m. Lock Haven moved up three spots in the latest InterMat poll and is now ranked #16 in the nation. The Bald Eagles’ climb back up the charts is due in part to a 2-0 week, defeating Edinboro University, 22-18, last Friday, and Cleveland State, 30-13, on Saturday. The Crimson and White are now 13-3 overall and 4-0 in the EWL. West Virginia, ranked 11th in the country, is currently 6-2 and 2-0 in the EWL. At present, the Mountaineers have a four-match home win streak in effect dating back to January 20. Most recently, WVU scored a 26-6 victory over Buffalo. Their two league victories came over Clarion (23-12) and Bloomsburg (36-7). Individually, six Mountaineer wrestlers have earned top-20 ranking, headlined by third-ranked Greg Jones (174 lbs.) and sixth-ranked Tom McMath (165 lbs.).	LHU's Mike Maney against Cleveland State's Nick Boucher. Maney scored a 7-2 victory.
	Pittsburgh is ranked 23rd in the nation and owns an overall mark of 11-3. The Panthers have also established a considerable win streak, stringing together five dual meet victories. Most recently, Pittsburgh defeated EWL opponent Virginia Tech, 26-16. Two individual wrestlers are ranked among the top in the nation, #17 Carl Fronhofer (165 lbs.) and #19 Ryan Kehler (285 lbs.). The Series: Against West Virginia, Lock Haven holds a slim 13-10 lead in the series. LHU captured a 33-12 victory last season, and West Virginia was the victor in 2000 by the final 24-15 margin. The Bald Eagles also hold a close lead in the Pittsburgh series, 20-17-1. Last season LHU came away with the 31-6 victory, while Pittsburgh last won in 2000, 23-11. *Below is a weight-by-weight preview:* *125:* Trap McCormack (Loganton/Bald Eagle Nittany) went 2-0 last week and maintains his #20 national ranking. He followed up a forfeit win in the Edinboro dual with a 7-2 decision over Cleveland State’s Rocco Mansueto. West Virginia is likely to mat Nathan Kendjorsky (5-5), while Pittsburgh will use James Thornton (6-6). 133: Chris Spealler (Paoli/Great Valley) (10-4) and Blair Tugman (Lincroft, N.J./Middletown South) will represent the Bald Eagles at 133 pounds. Spealler continues to work his way back from an injured ankle, and could potentially make his return to the mats this weekend. Tugman is 4-3 overall. West Virginia will mat Brandon Lauer, who has posted a 14-7 overall mark. Pittsburgh’s Shawn Amistade (17-7) will vie for the win here on Saturday. Amistade defeated Spealler, 4-1, in the consolation championship at Mat-Town earlier this season. *141:* Ninth-ranked Mike Maney (Clarence/Bald Eagle Area) will have his hands full this weekend, but is without question himself a force to be reckoned with. Maney is 18-3 overall, going 1-1 last weekend. Following a loss to Edinboro’s Chad Caros (F 0:17), he posted a 7-2 decision over Cleveland State’s Nick Boucher. The Mountaineers will utilize the talents of #17 Shane Cunanan (19-6), while Pittsburgh could put forth Blaise Mucci (15-10). Maney defeated Mucci, 2-0, in the semifinal round at the 2001 Mat-Town tournament. *149:* The Bald Eagle lineup appears solid at 149 pounds with the one-two punch of JaMarr Billman (Easton/Easton Area) and James LaValle (East Hanover, N.J./Hanover Park). Billman is ranked third in the nation, and is 24-2 overall following a 2-0 weekend with a technical fall over Cleveland State’s Anthony Coleman and a major decision over Edinboro’s Ryan Yates. LaValle is 13-4 overall, having taken the mat to accept the forfeit win at the 149 pound bout in the Edinboro match. They will face West Virginia’s #20 Billy Smith (18-6) and Pittsburgh’s Justin Giovinco (17-4). *157:* Jason Gilligan (Brookville/Brookville) will travel for the Crimson and White, brining an 8-9 record into this upcoming weekend’s matches. Gilligan wrestled against Cleveland State on Saturday, posting a 16-5 major decision over James Greenwood. #10 Joe Carr of West Virginia will look to challenge for the win at 157 pounds, as will Pittsburgh’s Zach Doll (13-4). *165:* Charlie Brenneman (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) and Chris Haines (Gettysburg/Gettysburg) have been splitting duties at 165 pounds, and both are on the travel list for this weekend’s trip. Brenneman lost a tight 5-4 decision to Edinboro’s Nate Yetzer to move his overall mark to 8-10. Haines defeated Cleveland State’s Jason Effner, 7-4, to improve to 16-8 on the season. The Mountaineers will feature sixth-ranked Tom McMath (21-2), while Pittsburgh’s #17 Carl Fronhofer (20-4) will look to add to the team score here at 165 pounds. *174:* The Bald Eagles feature sophomore Ed Pawlak (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern) for the win at 174 pounds. Pawlak is now 8-11 after suffering two close losses over the weekend to his Edinboro and Cleveland State opponents, including a slim 3-4 decision to #17 Gerald Harris II of CSU. Pawlak’s West Virginia opponent will most likely be third-ranked Greg Jones (20-2). Pittsburgh’s probable starter is Matt Catullo (9-15). *184:* Josh Millard (Mill Hall/Bald Eagle Area) and Mike Greenberg (Canton/Canton) will both attempt to keep things in order for Lock Haven at 184 pounds. Greenberg is 5-6 overall. Millard moved up to #15 in the national rankings, and improved his overall mark to 14-5 with two big wins this past weekend. The Bald Eagle senior earned PSAC Wrestler of the Week honors for his performance, which included a 3-1 sudden victory over returning national champion Josh Koscheck of Edinboro, who was wrestling up a weight class. West Virginia’s Ryan Wilman (15-10) will attempt the upset victory, and Pittsburgh will use Rob Black (5-12) in battle here. *197:* Lock Haven’s Avery Zerkle (Urbana, Ohio/Graham) will take the mat at 197 pounds, bringing in a 9-6 overall mark after a 1-1 performance last weekend. Brent Miller (12-8) of West Virginia and Pittsburgh’s #19 David Sandberg (24-6) will both be challenging Zerkle for the team points here. *HWT:* The Haven will bring along both Tim Boetsch (Lincolnville, Maine/Camden Rockport) and Steve Itterly (Bethlehem/Nazareth) for the bout at heavyweight. Boetsch recorded a 6-1 victory over Edinboro’s Reuben Daniels to improve to 4-11 overall, while Itterly took a hit from Cleveland State’s #17 Russ Davie on Saturday, getting pinned in the first period in his first collegiate bout. Ryan Kehler (8-3) of West Virginia is ranked 19th in the nation, while Pittsburgh’s Jacob Lininger has built an overall mark of 29-7 this season. UP NEXT: The Bald Eagles return to the friendly confines of Thomas Field House to close out the remainder of the 2001-2002 dual meet season. On Thursday, Feb. 21, LHU hosts Bucknell University (6 p.m.) and Bloomsburg University (8 p.m.). Two days later on Saturday, Feb. 23, Lock Haven hosts Penn State University in its final dual meet of the season. That dual meet is slated for a 7 p.m. start.
	###LHU###