SU falls to Mercyhurst in first PSAC loss

In a close match, Shippensburg University was unable to best PSAC opponent Mercyhurst University. This makes for the first PSAC loss of the Raiders’ season. The Raiders were only victorious in three of the 10 bouts on the evening and fell to their adversaries 33-13.

In the high profile meet atop the PSAC, Mercyhurst came into the night ranked No. 7 in the nation as a team in all of NCAA Division II. Both teams walked into the Mercyhurst Athletic Center undefeated in the PSAC league but only one was able to keep its perfect record.

Two of the three victories for the Raiders came in bouts against regionally ranked wrestlers, one at 197 pounds and the other at 157 pounds. Sophomore Evan Ramos, ranked No. 3 in the Super Region 1, defeated the number 5 ranked 197-pounder, Jamar Henry, in an electrifying pin just two minutes into the first period.

Freshman Adam Martz was the other lone Raider to defeat a ranked Mercyhurst adversary, in which he beat No. 3-ranked wrestler Michael Griffith 9-3. The 157-pound freshman from Frostburg, Maryland is currently ranked fifth in the Super Region I rankings and furthered his nine-bout winning streak with multiple impressive takedowns to carry him to victory.

Raiders drop Gannon, 20-16 Jan. 30

On Jan. 30, the Shippensburg University wrestling team traveled to Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania and defeated their PSAC rival 20-16 in a tight contest. From start to finish, the meet was riveting as fans scooted to the edge of their seats in the back and forth contest.

As a team, Shippensburg is ranked number five in the Super Region I and it proved to be key as the team bounced back from a seven-point deficit early on.

Junior Dante Steffenino began the night with a pin at the 133-pound weight class only 2:26 into the first period and boosted his team to an early six-point lead.

Shortly after, junior Karl Lightner continued the momentum with a close 4-3 decision to add another three points to the board, thrusting the team to a nine-point lead.

After a string of losses for the Raiders, they were staring defeat in the eyes before sophomore Evan Ramos took to the mat, crushing opponent Lorenzo Maddox 6-1 at 197 pounds, keeping Shippensburg in the fight, 12-16. Heavyweight sophomore Derek Earnest pulled out a 3-0 decision to feed into the team’s comeback.

The third consecutive victory came in incredible fashion at the end of the meet when freshman Dustin Steffenino obtained a technical fall at the 125-pound weight class, sealing the victory for Shippensburg. Steffenino was able to score 17 points in just two minutes, giving his team five team points to come from behind and pull out a win, 20-16.

The team was down 15-16 before the final bout and the young freshman proved his resilience in the face of adversity with the powerful win to cap off the dramatic evening. 

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