GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Franklin & Marshall's grapplers won five
of the six bouts wrestled at Bream Gymnasium to hand Gettysburg a
35-13 setback at the Battlefield. The victory was the Diplomats
(5-10) 58th in 66 meetings with the Bullets (1-22).
174-pounder Justin Herbert (19-9) racked up his 33rd
career pin and ninth of the season, flattening Luke Mitchell 46
seconds into the second period. The Diplomats' all-time pins leader
was up 14-5on the strength of four takedowns, two near falls and a
reversal when the official slapped the mat.
Gettysburg led for much of the early portion of the match.
F&M spotted the Bullets six points with a forfeit at 125
pounds. Michael Slabinskli ran the lead out to 9-0 with a 10-4
decision over Matt Murray (3-16). Murray managed an early takedown,
but Slabinski reversed it and turned the Diplomat for a near fall
to take the lead for good.
Frank Higgins (3-11) got F&M on the scoreboard with a
technical fall of Jack Bostrom, midway through the sedons period.
Bostrom scored the first points against on a takedown, but Higgins
went to work with an escape, a takedown, and three near falls to
close the first period. Jay Tracy (2-4) collected a forfeit at 141
to give F&M its first lead of the night, 11-9. The advantage
was short lived as Andrew Goldstein bested Al Gianforti (11-15)
14-6 to make it 13-11 in favor of the hosts. It was the Bullets
last win of the night.
Anthony Bongarzone (13-14) posted an 8-3 decision of Anthony
Iorio at 165 pound to put the Diplomats out in front for good. That
was followed by Herbert's pin and 12 more points without breaking a
sweat at 184 and 197.
The final bout was one of the night's most spirited matchups.
F&M's Nico Somers (13-11) managed a takedown in the first
period. Working from the bottom in the second, Somers escaped and
took Bobby Christopher to the mat once more. Christopher reversed
to get on the board, and escaped at the start of the third period,
but both wrestlers ran out of steam, leaving Somers with the 6-3
win.
The Diplomats return to the mats and their Eastern
Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Slate on Saturday when
F&M heads to Lehigh to take on the Mountain Hawks, who ranked
seventh in the latest USA Today/InterMat/NWCA Division I Team
Rankings released on Monday.
Franklin & Marshall 35, Gettysburg 13
125 - Abe Evans (GC) won by forfeit (GC 6-0)
133 - Michael Slabinski (GC) dec. Matt Murray (FM), 10-4 (GC
9-0)
141 - Frank Higgins (FM) tech. fall Jack Bostrom (GC),
17-2 (4:04) (GC 9-5)
149 - Jay Tracey (FM) won by forfeit (FM 11-9)
157 - Andrew Goldstein (GC) maj. dec. Albert Gianforti (FM),
14-6 (GC 13-11)
165 - Anthony Bongarzone (FM) dec. Anthony Iorio (GC), 8-3 (FM
14-13)
174 - Justin Herbert (FM) pinned Luke Mitchell (GC), 3:46 (FM
20-13)
184 -Jimmy Schulz (FM) won by forfeit (FM 26-13)
197 - Colin Ely (FM) won by forfeit (FM 32-13)
285 - Nico Somers (FM) dec. Bobby Christopher (GC), 6-3 (FM
35-13)
