Wrestling | 2/14/2020 10:05:00 PM

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University wrestling team had four grapplers earn victories on Friday night but it wasn't enough as the visiting Vikings of Cleveland State University knocked off the Huskies, 23-13, on Senior Night at the Nelson Field House. With the loss, Bloomsburg dropped to 3-8 overall and remained winless in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) standings as it fell to 0-6 against conference foes. The Vikings, meanwhile, improved to 9-5 overall and 5-5 in the MAC standings.

Cleveland State opened the evening with a victory at 125 pounds as freshman Christian Gannone (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) was edged by Logan Heil, 3-2, as the Vikings took a 3-0 advantage. However, redshirt freshman Josh Mason (New Ringgold, Pa./Blue Mountain) returned the favor at 133 pounds as he took care of Justin Patrick, 8-2, to even the match at 3-3. Mason scored a takedown in the first period and then took control of the match with a four back points in the second period. He improved to 15-6 overall on the season which includes an 8-2 mark in duals in his first year with the Huskies.

The Vikings' Evan Cheek, ranked 18th in the latest NCAA Coaches Panel at 141 pounds, earned a technical fall victory over junior Shawn Orem (Pasadena, Md./Mount Saint Joseph) to give the visitors an 8-3 lead. It was Cheek's 32nd victory of the season. But, Bloomsburg responded as sophomore Aaron Coleman (Iselin, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial) posted a 12-1 major decision victory over Gus Sutton to trim the Vikings' lead to 8-7. Coleman scored six of his points in the first period and then tacked on three more in the second before posting the lopsided win. Coleman improved to 9-8 overall and 5-5 in duals with his first major decision of the year.

But, Cleveland State opened things up with three consecutive victories to take a 17-7 lead with three matches remaining. All three matches could've gone either way as sophomore Alex Carida (Hackettstown, N.J./Hackettstown) lost at the buzzer on a takedown by a 3-1 final at 157 pounds. Senior Nate Newberry (Biglerville, Pa./Biglerville) and senior Anthony Vetrano (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) followed with 4-2 setbacks at 165 and 174, respectively, as the Vikings built a ten-point lead.

Bloomsburg battled back with buzzer-beating victories at both 184 and 197 by redshirt senior Trevor Allard (Mexico, N.Y./Mexico) and senior Kyle Murphy (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) as the Huskies kept their hopes alive by trimming the margin to 17-13.

Allard, ranked 18th in the latest NCAA Coaches Panel, was trailing DeAndre Nassar, 3-2, with time winding down in the third before he was able to score a takedown with one second remaining in regulation to earn the 4-3 win. The Vikings challenged the call but, after a lengthy review, the two-points stood and Allard was awarded the win. He improved to 19-2 overall and 10-1 in duals on the year while moving to within nine victories of becoming the program's 19th member of the 100-win club.

Murphy followed with an identical 4-3 win at 197 by scoring a takedown just before the buzzer to edge the Vikings' Benjamin Smith. Smith took the lead with less than 30 seconds left with a takedown before Murphy countered with an escape and then a takedown as time expired which pumped up the Huskies' faithful in attendance. The senior picked up his 50th career victory with the win and he has now won four straight matches to improve to 10-12 on the season - 6-5 in duals.

Redshirt sophomore Michael Porreca (Barto, Pa./Boyertown), wrestling his first match of the season, took the mat in the heavyweight bout with the Huskies trailing by four. Porreca stood his ground early against Cleveland State's John Kelbly but a slip late in the first period cost him as Kelbly scored a takedown and turned it into a pin with 46 seconds left in the opening period to close out the night.

The Huskies will be on the road for their final two duals of the season. Bloomsburg will travel to George Mason on Sunday, February 16, for a 2:00 p.m. match against the Patriots and then will head to Old Dominion to close out the regular season on Sunday, February 23, for a 1:00 p.m. start.

CLEVELAND STATE 23, BLOOMSBURG 13
125: Logan Heil (CSU) decision over Christian Gannone (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) (BLOOM), 3-2
133: Josh Mason (New Ringgold, Pa./Blue Mountain) (BLOOM) decision over Justin Patrick (CSU), 8-2
141: #18 Evan Cheek (CSU) technical fall over Shawn Orem (Pasadena, Md./Mount Saint Joseph) (BLOOM), 17-0 (4:21)
149: Aaron Coleman (Iselin, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial) (BLOOM) major decision over Gus Sutton (CSU), 12-1
157: Nico O'Dor (CSU) decision over Alex Carida (Hackettstown, N.J./Hackettstown) (BLOOM), 3-1
165: Riley Smucker (CSU) decision over Nate Newberry (Biglerville, Pa./Biglerville) (BLOOM), 4-2
174: Chase Archangelo (CSU) decision over Anthony Vetrano (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) (BLOOM), 4-2
184: #18 Trevor Allard (Mexico, N.Y./Mexico) (BLOOM) decision over DeAndre Nassar (CSU), 4-3
197: Kyle Murphy (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) (BLOOM) decision over Benjamin Smith (CSU), 4-3
285: John Kelbly (CSU) fall over Michael Porreca (Barto, Pa./Boyertown) (BLOOM), 2:14