NEW YORK, NY—Justin Grant (Easton/Easton) pinned Steven Graziano of Penn to rally the 21st-ranked Bloomsburg University wrestling team to a 21-16 win over Penn in the Grapple at the Garden at Madison Square Garden. In match number one of the Huskies fell to number-seven ranked Illinois, 29-18.
 
The match with the Quakers was a back and forth affair with the teams splitting the first four matches by decision to make it a 6-6 match going to 157 pounds. At 157 Bloomsburg's Kevin Harnett used four takedowns in the match to win 9-6 and put the Huskies on top by the same score.
 
At 165 pounds the Huskies Josh Veltre (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia), ranked #7, lost by major decision to 19th-ranked Casey Kent, 12-1, putting Penn back on top 10-9. At 174 Bloomsburg's Mike Dessino (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) scored a 4-0 win to briefly give the Huskies a 12-10 lead. Penn went back on top 16-12 with a pin at 184 before 10th-ranked Richard Perry (Meriden, CT/Middletown) beat number 19 Frank Mattiace. Perry got a takedown in each of the first two periods to win 4-0 pulling Bloomsburg to within a point at 16-15.
 
In the heavyweight bout Grant got a first period fall in 2:33 to give Bloomsburg the come-from-behind win.
 
The day started with the Fighting Illini beating the Huskies 29-18. The match started with each team winning by fall. For Bloomsburg Nick Wilcox (Greene, NY/Greene Central), ranked 20th, posted a first period fall over 17th-ranked Zane Richards to knot the match at 6-6. Illinois then rattled off wins in the next four matches to open a 23-6 six lead. Bloomsburg closed out the match winning three of the final four matches. Among the wins for Bloomsburg was win by fall by Dessino over 10th-ranked Tony Dallago in 4:28.
 
Bloomsburg head coach Jason Mester feels his team needs to continue to work hard.
 
"Our guys need to continue to prepare to wrestle at a high Level," said Mester. "We will continue to train for our next event and look to build off today."
 
Bloomsburg, 2-2, will be back in action at the PSAC Championships on Saturday, Dec. 7 at Edinboro.
 
#7 Illinois 29,  #21 Bloomsburg 18
 
125     #1 Jesse Delgado (Illinois) WBF Sean Boylan (Seaville, NJ/St. Marks) (Bloom), 3:53
133     #20 Nick Wilcox (Greene, NY/Greene Central) (Bloom) WBF #20 Zane Richards (Illinois), 2:28
141     Steven Rodrigues (Illinois) won by MD Matt Rappo (Holland/Council Rock South) (Bloom), 16-4
149     Caleb Ervin (Illinois) dec. #5 Bryce Busler (Mechanicsburg/Cumberland Valley) (Bloom), 9-4
157     #15 Zach Brunson (Illinois) WBF Kevin Hartnett (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) (Bloom), 1:28
165     #16 Jackson Morse (Illinois) won by MD #7 Josh Veltre (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia) (Bloom), 11-0
174     Mike Dessino (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) (Bloom) WBF #10 Tony Dallago (Illinois), 4:28
184     Nico Reyes (Illinois) WBF Sam Shirey (Beaver Springs/Midd-West) (Bloomsburg), 2:18
197     #10 Richard Perry (Meriden, CT/Middletown) (Bloom) dec. Jeff Koepke (Illinois), 6-3
285     Justin Grant (Easton/Easton) (Bloom) dec. Chris Lopez (Illinois), 4-0
 
#21 Bloomsburg 21, Penn 16
 
125   Caleb Richardson (Penn) dec Sean Boylan (Seaville, NJ/St. Marks) (Bloom), SV-1 3-1
133   #20 Nick Wilcox (Greene, NY/Greene Central) (Bloom) dec Ken Bade (Univ.of Pennsylvania), 6-0
141   Jeff Canfora (Penn) dec Matt Rappo (Holland/Council Rock South) (Bloom), 6-3
149   #5 Bryce Busler (Mechanicsburg/Cumberland Valley) (Bloom) dec Andrew Lenzi (Penn), 6-2
157   Kevin Hartnett (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) (Bloom) dec Ray Bethea (Penn), 9-3
165   Casey Kent (Penn) won by MD #7 Josh Veltre (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia) (Bloom), 12-1
174   Mike Dessino (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) (Bloom) dec Brad Wukie (Penn) 4-0
184   #11 Lorenzo Thomas (Penn) WBF Sam Shirey (Beaver Springs/Midd-West) (Bloom), 4:00
197   Richard Perry (Meriden, CT/Middletown) (Bloom dec Frank Mattiace (Penn), 4-2
285   Justin Grant (Easton/Easton) (Bloom) WBF Steven Graziano (Penn), 2:33