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ANTICIPATED: Lock Haven University wrestling set to host No. 11 Rutgers on Friday

The highly anticipated match against Rutgers will mark the Bald Eagles first dual of the 2017-18 season. Last season, Lock Haven went 8-8 overall in dual matches. Lock Haven was 3-2 at home. (Photo courtesy of LHU Wrestling)

SETTING THE STAGE:

On Friday (Dec. 1) night, the Lock Haven University wrestling team will host No. 11 Rutgers in non-conference action.

The highly anticipated match will mark the Bald Eagles first dual of the 2017-18 season. Last season, Lock Haven went 8-8 overall in dual matches. The Haven was 3-2 at home.

Rutgers enters the match at 3-0 overall with wins over Maryland, nationally-ranked Oklahoma and Virginia. The Scarlet Knights’ lineup features five nationally-ranked wrestlers including Richie Lewis who is fresh off a gold medal at the U23 World Championships, held last weekend.

LHU fifth-year head coach Scott Moore’s lineup Friday night will feature a trio of nationally-ranked wrestlers including two-time NCAA Division I qualifier Ronnie Perry (149) and undefeated Chance Marsteller (165), along with returning national qualifier Thomas Haines (285).

The Bald Eagles are calling for a WHITE OUT Friday, so LHU fans are encouraged to wear white. Friday’s dual with Rutgers is also Lock Haven’s Veterans Appreciation night so all veterans will be admitted free of charge in an effort to thank all those who have served our country. The match is also a part of LHU’s Haven Holidays Event (Dec. 1-3), a three-day community wide family weekend presented by Lock Haven University, Downtown Lock Haven, the Clinton County Economic Partnership and Keystone Central School District. For more information, visit. www.LockHaven.edu. Tickets for the match will be available at the door Friday.

PROJECTED LOCK

HAVEN LINEUP:

125: Fr. Josiah Kline (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge) 8-4

133: R-So. DJ Fehlman (Warren, Pa./Warren) 9-3

141: R-So. Kyle Shoop (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) 8-3

149: R-Sr. Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco) 5-1

157: R-So. Alex Klucker (Summerdale, Pa./East Pennsboro) 9-2

165: R-Jr. Chance Marsteller (New Park, Pa./Kennard-Dale (Oklahoma State) 11-0

174: So. Jared Siegrist (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) 8-6

184: R-So. Corey Hazel (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) 5-3

197: R-Jr. Tristan Sponseller (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) 2-5

285: R-Jr. Thomas Haines (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco (Ohio State) 4-2

PROJECTED

RUTGERS LINEUP:

125: So. Nick Suriano (Paramus, N.J./Bergen Catholic) 7-0

133: R-Sr. Scott DelVecchio (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) 3-0

141: R-Fr. Michael Van Brill (Mullica Hill, N.J./Clearview) 5-2

149: No. 13 R-Sr. Eleazar DeLuca (Talent, Ore./Northern Colorado) 3-0

157: R-Sr. Richie Lewis (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) 1-0

-OR- So. Brett Donner (Wall, N.J./Wall) 3-4

165: R-Jr. John Van Brill (Mullica Hill, N.J./Clearview) 2-1

174: R-Jr. Jordan Pagano (South Brunswick, N.J./Bergen Catholic) 5-4

184: R-Sr. Nicholas Gravina (Allendale, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional) 3-0

197: R-Fr. Kevin Mulligan (Blauvelt, N.Y./Bergen Catholic) 7-3

285: Sr. Razohnn Gross (Franklin Park, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) 7-2

NEWS, NOTES AND

STORYLINES:

-As a team, the Bald Eagles continue to receive votes in the weekly USA Today/NWCA Coaches’ Poll … the Bald Eagles haven’t officially cracked the top-25 since the 2002-03 season (ranked No. 24 on Nov. 26, 2002).

-LHU last beat a top-25 team during the 2004-05 season … Lock Haven topped No. 22 West Virginia, 21-17 on February 13, 2005.

-Lock Haven’s last win vs. a Big Ten opponent came during the 2015-16 season … On February 12, 2016, Lock Haven beat Michigan State, 18-15.

-Friday’s match marks the first between Lock Haven and Rutgers since the 2013-14 season … RU edged LHU 18-16 at Rutgers in a thriller that came down the final bout (February 15, 2014).

-Lock Haven is 4-2 all-time vs. Rutgers, but the Scarlet Knights have won two straight in the series … Lock Haven last won on January 5, 2008, 22-16.

-Rutgers’ projected lineup features five nationally-ranked wrestlers.

-Rutgers head coach Scott Goodale, now in his 11th season, is a 1995 LHU graduate … Goodale was a three-time NCAA qualifier for the Bald Eagles.

-The Bald Eagles lineup features three nationally-ranked wrestlers this week including Ronnie Perry (149), Chance Marsteller (165) and Thomas Haines (285) … Perry was ranked No. 15, Marsteller No. 10 and Haines No. 15 by InterMat (Nov. 28).

-Perry and Haines count for two of LHU’s four returning national qualifiers … They are joined by DJ Fehlman (133) and Kyle Shoop (141) … Perry is a two-time NCAA Division I qualifier.

-Josiah Kline (125), Alex Klucker (157) and Marsteller will all make their LHU dual-debuts on Friday.

-Marsteller is a perfect 11-0 on the season.

-It also marks the first dual with both Marsteller and Haines in the lineup … Both Marsteller and Haines were four-time PIAA state champions.

-It marks the first dual for Perry up at 149 pounds and for Shoop down at 141 … The two returning national qualifiers made the switch this season to strengthen the Bald Eagles middleweight lineup.

-Kline was named the Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) Athlete of the Week on Monday (Nov. 27) after going 3-0 on the way to the 125-pound title at the Mat-Town Open.

-LHU head coach Scott Moore is in his fifth season as head coach … Moore is 27-39 overall in his previous four seasons.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK:

– Week 1: November 6 – Alex Klucker, EWL Athlete of the Week

– Week 2: November 13 – Chance Marsteller, PSAC & EWL Athlete of the Week

– Week 4: November 27 – Josiah Kline, EWL Athlete of the Week

LHU hosts 12th annual

Mat-Town Open (Nov. 26):

Nine members of the LHU wrestling team hit the mats – competing both attached and unattached – as the Bald Eagles hosted the 12th annual Mat-Town Open and it was 125-pounder Josiah Kline who led the way. Kline went 3-0 and took home the title. Both Jonathan Ross and Jared Siegrist finished as runners-up, taking second at 157 and 174 pounds, respectively. Kline (125) opened the day with a pin after he needed just 26 seconds to pin Shane Metzler (Rutgers, UNA). He moved to 2-0 on the day and earned a spot in the finals after majoring Geo Barzona of Bucknell (UNA), 12-1. In the finals, Kline downed Dominic LaJoie (FLWC), 9-3 in a dominating effort. Luke Werner added a third-place finish at 125 pounds.

Lock Haven dominates at Army, crowns four champs (Nov. 19):

In all, nine LHU wrestlers placed and the Bald Eagles claimed four individual champions including 141-pounder Kyle Shoop who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler to highlight a dominating performance at the Black Knight Invite, a six-team tournament, hosted by Army West Point. Shoop, along with Ronnie Perry (149), Chance Marsteller (165) and Thomas Haines (285) all claimed individual titles after going a perfect 3-0. The Bald Eagles went 4-2 overall in the finals as both DJ Fehlman (133) and Alex Klucker (157) placed second overall in their respective brackets. Corey Hazel finished third at 184, while both 125-pounder Josiah Kline and 197-pounder Tristan Sponseller placed fifth to round out the all-around dominant performance at Army.

A recap of the Journeymen Collegiate Classic (Nov. 12):

Returning national qualifier DJ Fehlman went 3-0 at 133 pounds and nationally-ranked Chance Marsteller was 3-0 at 165 to highlight another strong early effort.

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