GREENVILLE, Pa. — The Thiel wrestlers battled tough against 15th-ranked and unbeaten Mount Union but came up a couple of wins short in a 23-14 loss Friday night at Beeghly Gymnasium.

It was the second time Thiel lost to the Purple Raiders this season, but the Tomcats certainly had a shot in this one.

Freshman Tim Ellison (Anthem, Ariz./Boulder Creek) put the Tomcats in great position with a 10-0 major decision over Arden Bement to open the match. It wasn't surprising that Ellison was able to turn the tables and avenge an earlier 10-3 loss to the Purple Raider freshman, but the fact that he picked up a bonus point to put his team ahead 4-0 may have been unexpected.

What wasn't unexpected was the way Corey Brown (Greenville, Pa./Reynolds), ranked second in Division III at 133 pounds, manhandled Brad Kress in the next match. Brown rolled to a 23-8 technical fall but was only awarded four team points because his score didn't include any nearfall points. Unfortunately for the Tomcat junior, the match ended on a stalling call against Kress.

The Purple Raiders (5-0) won the next three matches with a major decision and two decisions, including a thrilling overtime win by Josh Cintron over Alec Miller (Transfer, Pa./Grove City) at 157 pounds.

Miller, who received a stalling call while trying to stop a standup attempt by Cintron, trailed 2-1 in the third period. The Thiel junior did everything he could and succeeded in holding Cintron down long enough to tie the match with a riding time point. After a scoreless sudden victory period, Miller chose down and tallied one escape point. In the second tiebreaker period, it looked as if the Tomcats were going to pick up the win as Miller held Cintron down until there was under 10 seconds remaining until, finally, Cintron came through with a reversal just as time expired for the win. Miller had previously beaten Cintron 12-1 at the Mount Union Duals, in a match that was tougher than the final score indicated.

Matt Lowry (Smithfield, Pa./Albert Gallatin) and Patrick Morris (Graysville, Pa./West Greene) posted decisions for the Tomcats at 165 and 174, respectively to help the Tomcats climb to a 14-10 lead, but the Purple Raiders closed out the match with three straight wins to keep their perfect record intact.

Thiel will have more than a month off before returning to the mat for competition. The Tomcats will host both Case Western Reserve and Penn State New Kensington on Jan. 8.


#15 Mount Union 23, Thiel 14
125 — Tim Ellison (Anthem, Ariz./Boulder Creek) (Thiel) maj. dec. Arden Bement, 10-0
133 — Corey Brown (Greenville, Pa./Reynolds) (Thiel) tech. fall Brad Kress, 23-8 (6:58)
141 — Josh Malave (Mount Union) maj. dec. Jeff Marianetti (Ontario, N.Y./Wayne Central), 8-0
149 — Kevin Shadrach (Mount Union) dec. Matt Butler (Garrettsville, Ohio/Berkshire), 5-0
157 — Josh Cintron (Mount Union) dec. Alec Miller (Transfer, Pa./Grove City), 4-3
165 — Matt Lowry (Smithfield, Pa./Albert Gallatin) (Thiel) dec. John Piechuta, 5-0
174 — Patrick Morris (Graysville, Pa./West Greene) (Thiel) dec. Jeremy Hathaway, 4-1
184 — Andy Jenkins (Mount Union) maj. dec. Greg Baptiste (Fredonia, Pa./Reynolds), 11-3
197 — Bill Schindel (Mount Union) pin Kraig Smith (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell), 2:25
285 — Derrick Hesson (Mount Union) dec, Will Ringer (Fredonia, Pa./Reynolds), 2-0