WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Thiel College wrestling team won its Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) opener on the road Wednesday over the Washington & Jefferson Presidents, 25-23.
 
With W&J clinging to a 23-21 lead, the outcome came down to the final bout. Thiel junior heavyweight Seth Phillips (Hubbard, Ohio/Western Reserve) rose to the occasion masterfully winning by major decision (11-1) over Trevor Manley to secure the conference win.
 
The Tomcats won five matches on the night and earned bonus points in four of the bouts. Evan Whiteside (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) earned Thiel's first win when he pinned Daniel Verscharen in 52 seconds at 133.
 
The Presidents won three straight bouts to hold an 18-6 lead before Dominic Hartman (Jeannette, Pa./Penn-Trafford) cut the lead down to 18-9 after winning by decision (7-2) over Kevin Courseault at 165.
 
Thiel won by fall in the next two bouts to take a 21-18 lead. At 174, Frank Gill (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) pinned Sean Banks in 4:19. At 184, Jared Curcio (Avonmore, Pa./Kiski Area) pinned Jaden Fields in 3:39.
 
Christian McChesney won by technical fall at 197 to give the Presidents a 23-21 lead, setting the stage for Phillips to earn the win for the Tomcats with an 11-1 victory in the 285-pound bout.
 
Thiel (2-0, 1-0 PAC) will face the Pitt Bradford Panthers in the Mel Berry Dual on Friday, Jan. 19. The non-conference match will begin at 7 p.m. at Maenpa Court at Beeghly Gymnasium.
 
 
Results
Thiel 25, W&J 23
125 – Cruz (W) dec. SV McCarthy, 13-10 [W3-0]
133 – Whiteside (T) pinned Verscharen, 0:52 [T6-3]
141 – Swedish (W) tech. fall Livingston, 22-5 (4:12) [W 8-6]
149 – Smith (W) pinned Parker, 1:46 [W14-6]
157 – Searle (W) maj. dec. Potts, 14-3 [W18-6]
165 – Hartman (T) dec. Courseault, 7-2 [W18-9]
174 – Gill (T) pinned Banks, 4:19 [W18-15]
184 – Curcio (T) pinned Fields, 3:39 [T21-18]
197 – McChesney (W) tech. fall Congdon, 15-0 (4:20) [W23-21]
285 – Phillips (T) maj. dec. Manley, 11-1 [T25-23]