Pitt-Johnstown Wrestlers Place Sixth at 2005 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals

01/22/2005

Head Coach Pat Pecora and his Mountain Cat wrestling team placed sixth at this weekend's prestigious 2005 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Wrestling Duals at Cleveland State University. Pitt-Johnstown, seeded seventh in a tournament that featured the top 16 teams in NCAA Division II, fell to #8-seed Minnesota State-Mankato in the Fifth Place match Saturday evening. Pitt Johnstown posted a 3-3 record at the tournament and is now 15-5 overall. Senior All-American Mark Glova (165 lbs.) (St. Benedict, Pa./Cambria Heights H.S.) led the Mountain Cats by recording a perfect 6-0 record at the tournament. Complete results from this year's tournament can be found at www.csuvikings.com or intermatwrestle.com.
The loss to Nebraska-Kearney put the Mountain Cats in the Fifth Place match against #8-seed Minnesota State-Mankato, which lost to Central Oklahoma University, 18-16, in the Consolations Senifinals. Benton cut an early Mankato lead to 6-3 with a 10-3 win over Brandon Girtz, before red-shirt freshman Eric Svec (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg-Salem H.S.) put the Mountain Cats in the lead with a fall over Charles Dawson at 149 lbs. Pitt Johnstown maintained a three-point lead through the 165-lb match, but Minnesota State-Mankato won the final four matches by decision to defeat the Mountain Cats, 21-12.
Glova reached his 6-0 mark with a pair of major decisions and four decisions. Benton and All-American Ryan Ickes (141 lbs.) (Claysburg, Pa./Claysburg-Kimmel H.S.) both earned four victories in the tournament, while sophomore Eli Garshnick (174 lbs.) (Armagh, Pa./United H.S.) and Majocha each won three matches. Two-time National Qualifier Ryon Mazzocco (125 lbs.) (Cresson, Pa./Penn Cambria H.S.), National Qualifier Matt Roncolato (157 lbs.) (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury H.S.) and Corcetti (184 lbs.) (Export, Pa./Kiski Area H.S.) all finished with two wins.

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