After recognizing its Alumni and honoring this year's senior class, the third-ranked Pitt-Johnstown wrestlers battled back to defeat seventh-ranked Mercyhurst, 24-12, to earn their first PSAC Dual Meet Championship, Saturday night in the Sports Center.  Pitt-Johnstown closed out the regular season at 15-1 overall and 7-0 in the PSAC.
 
The Mountain Cats fell behind, 12-7 midway through the match, but won the final five bouts, including victories by Tyler Reinhart (165 lbs.) and John Blankenship (174 lbs.) over the second and third-ranked wrestlers in the country, to erase the five point deficit.
 
In the opening bout at 125 lbs. Pitt-Johnstown's third-ranked Evan Link opened up a 4-0 lead over fourth-ranked Willie Bohince, but Bohince battled back to tie it at five and force overtime with a pair of stalling points.  In the extra period, Bohince took Link down with just three seconds remaining to secure a 6-5 win.
 
The Mountain Cats bounced right back.  Sixth-ranked Nick Roberts build an 8-0 lead and went on to an 11-3 major decision over Kevin Kinyua at 133 lbs., and eighth-ranked Sam Hanau won a 6-0 decision over Joey Miller at 141 lbs. to make it 7-3 Pitt-Johnstown.
 
The Lakers got a fall from Joel Bowers over Travis Shaffer at 1:35 in the 149-lb. bout to regain the lead by two.
 
Then, at 157 lbs. Keller Watkins erased a 2-0 deficit with a takedown and four back points in the final 10 seconds of the third period to defeat Devin Austin 6-2 and increase the Mercyhurst lead to 12-7.
 
The Mountain Cats returned the favor at 165 lbs. when Reinhart got a reversal and back points to pick up five points in the last 10 second to upset second-ranked Francis Mizia at 165 lbs.
 
The win sparked the Mountain Cats.  Blankenship followed it with a 7-2 win over third-ranked August Mizia at 174 to give the lead back to Pitt-Johnstown at 13-12, and second-ranked Travis McKillop pushed it out to 18-13 with a 17-0 technical fall 32 seconds into the second period over Angelo Bortoluzzi.
 
The Mountain Cats sealed the PSAC Championship in exciting fashion.  Jacob Hart used a takedown 23 seconds into overtime to down over Jamar Henry, 7-5 to make it 21-12 and put the match out of reach.
 
Pitt-Johnstown closed out the 24-12 victory with second-ranked D.J. Sims' 6-3 decision over Andy Welton at 285 lbs.
 
With the loss, Mercyhurst slipped to 11-4 overall and 6-1 in the PSAC.
 
vs. #7 Mercyhurst University
125 lbs.  #4 Willie Bohince (MU)  Decision  #3 Evan Link (UPJ)  6-5 OT  3-0 MU
133 lbs.  #6 Nick Roberts (UPJ)  Major Decision  Kevin Kinyua (MU)  11-3  4-3 UPJ
141 lbs.  #8 Sam Hanau (UPJ)  Decision  Joey Miller (MU)  6-0  7-3 UPJ
149 lbs.  Joel Bowers (MU)  Fall  Travis Shaffer (UPJ)  1:36  9-7 MU
157 lbs.  Keller Watkins (MU)  Decision  Devin Austin (UPJ)  6-2  12-7 MU
165 lbs.  Tyler Reinhart (UPJ)  Decision  #2 Francis Mizia (MU)  5-3  12-10 MU
174 lbs.  John Blankenship (UPJ)  Decision  #3 August Mizia (MU)  7-2  13-12 UPJ
184 lbs.  #2 Travis McKillop (UPJ)  Technical Fall  Angelo Bortoluzzi (MU)  17-0 (3:32)  18-12 UPJ
197 lbs.  Jacob Hart (UPJ)  Decision  Jamar Henry (MU)  7-5 OT  21-12 UPJ
285 lbs.  #2 D.J. Sims (UPJ)  Decision  Andy Welton (MU)  6-3  24-12 UPJ