Mercyhurst broke the previous record of 16 victories in a season set during the 2008-09 campaign, when they finished 16-5-1 - head coach Mike Wehler's second year with the Laker program. Thursday's victory also extended the record for consecutive victories to 11 - both the 2005-06 and the 2006-07 squads had nine-match streaks under the program's first head coach, Tony Cipollone.
Wehler, in his seventh season, improved to 90-49-2 overall - 32-4-0 over the last two seasons.
Nine matches were wrestled on Thursday night with each team collecting 20 team points in those contests. The difference in the outcome was a forfeit victory by redshirt junior Ryan Bohince at 125 pounds, giving the Lakers a 6-0 advantage at the outset.
Five nationally-ranked grapplers competed, beginning with Ashland's Michael Labry, who is ranked third in the country at 133 pounds. He jumped out to a fast start in his match against redshirt sophomore Kody Young, taking a 12-4 lead after the opening period. Labry built the lead to 14-5 after two periods and then was able to attack in the third period, taking down Young and pinning the Laker grappler with 39 seconds remaining to tie the match at 6-6.
Young dropped to 17-6 on the season while Labry improved to 27-4.
The Lakers then won the next five bouts to take a 26-6 lead with just three matches remaining. Redshirt sophomore August Mizia secured the Laker win at 174 pounds with a 10-0 major decision victory over Ashland's Luke Cramer.
After Labry tied the match at 6-6, sophomore Dylan D'Urso, ranked seventh in the country at 141 pounds took center stage and did not disappoint. D'Urso, who improved to 24-2 on the season, led 5-0 after the first period against Ashland's Clarence Longley. D'Urso added eight more points in the second and then wrapped things up with a takedown early in the third period for a 15-0 technical fall victory.
D'Urso is a perfect 17-0 in duals this season and has won his last 33 dual matches dating back to last season.
Arguably, the most entertaining bout of the night was at 149 pounds, where redshirt sophomore Jeremy Landowski, ranked eighth in the country, was opposed by Brent Fickel of Ashland, who brought a gaudy 25-4 record into the match. Landowski earned a takedown in the opening period while Fickel countered with an escape, giving the Laker a 2-1 lead after the opening three minutes. The difference came in the second period where Fickel chose bottom to start the period. Landowski was able to ride Fickel out for the full two minutes, keeping the one-point lead. Landowski chose bottom to start the third, came up with a reversal, and rode Fickel out the rest of the way for a 5-1 decision.
Landowski has now won 13 consecutive matches to improve to 17-4 on the season.
Redshirt freshman Francis Mizia was next up at 157 pounds and was able to come up with a 7-3 victory over Ashland's Kyle Burns to give the Lakers a 17-6 advantage through five bouts. The younger Mizia brother improved to 23-4 on the season.
Honored before the match as part of Senior Night festivities for the Laker grapplers, redshirt senior Clint Schaefer went out in style, earning a technical fall victory at 165 pounds to give Mercyhurst a 22-6 edge. Schaefer scored seven points in the first, six more in the second, and then, after Ashland's Zeb Beam earned a takedown to start the third, Schaefer countered with an escape and a takedown before the final horn. The riding time point got him the technical fall victory and gave him his 17th victory of the season against nine defeats.
August Mizia then had no trouble with Cramer at 174, earning the major decision victory, and securing the Laker dual victory. Mizia improved to 21-4 on the year.
The visitors then showcased their talents in the heavier weights, earning two major decisions and a pin to narrow the final margin. Ashland's Bryson Hall, the top-ranked wrestler at 184 pounds was able to defeat redshirt sophomore Angelo Bortoluzzi by a 12-3 margin to improve to 18-1 on the season. Following Hall was sixth-ranked Joseph Brandt at 197, and he took care of redshirt sophomore Brian Beattie by major decision to improve to 22-3.
In the heavyweight bout, Ashland's Tyler Houska pinned Laker freshman Andrew Welton with 15 seconds left in the first period for the final team points.
Mercyhurst will travel to Johnstown, Pennsylvania on Wednesday night, February 19 its final dual match of the season against the Mountain Cats of Pitt-Johnstown. The Mountain Cats are 12-1 and currently on a ten-match winning streak. The Lakers can secure back-to-back PSAC Division II Regular Season Dual Championships with a victory. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.
Results:
125 Ryan Bohince (Mercyhurst) won by forfeit
133 Michael Labry (Ashland) won by pin over Kody Young (Mercyhurst) 6:21
141 Dylan D'Urso (Mercyhurst) won by tech fall over Clarence Longley (Ashland) 5:25 15-0
149 Jeremy Landowski (Mercyhurst) won by decision over Brent Fickel (Ashland) 5-1
157 Francis Mizia (Mercyhurst) won by decision over Kyle Burns (Ashland) 7-3
165 Clint Schaefer (Mercyhurst) won by tech fall over Zebulan Beam (Ashland) 7:00 17-2
174 August Mizia (Mercyhurst) won by major decision over Luke Cramer (Ashland) 10-0
184 Bryson Hall (Ashland) won by major decision over Angelo Bortoluzzi (Mercyhurst) 12-3
197 Joseph Brandt (Ashland) won by major decision over Brian Beattie (Mercyhurst) 14-1
285 Tyler Houska (Ashland) won by pin over Andrew Welton (Mercyhurst) 2:45
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