A young Mountain Cat wrestling team that featured six freshmen in its line-up got a pin from Adam Nickelson at 184 lbs. to seal an impressive 26-9 season-opening victory at West Liberty (WV) University on Friday.
 
Leading 17-6 with three bouts remaining, Nickelson, a red-shirt freshman, pinned Danny Doyle at 1:26 to give Pitt-Johnstown an insurmountable lead.
 
The Mountain Cats started strong.  Evan Link opened the match with an 11-3 major decision over Zach Brown at 125 lbs, and red-shirt freshman Jim Harrison and freshman Malachi Krenzelak followed with decision wins to give Pitt-Johnstown a 10-0 advantage.
 
West Liberty answered to cut it to 10-6 with two straight decisions.  Former Mountain Cat Joel Paolo upset eighth-ranked Cole Landowski, 3-2, at 149 lbs., and Art Hobley won a 6-5 decision over true freshman Steve Edwards at 157 lbs.
 
However, a major decision by red-shirt freshman Tyler Reinhart at 165 lbs. and a 4-0 win by John Blankenship at 174 lbs. increased the Pitt-Johnstown lead to 17-6.
 
Following Nickelson's pin at 184 lbs., Nikos Garafola defeated Nate Dawson 9-5 to build it to 26-9.
 
The Hilltoppers set the final at 26-9 when Aaron Silveri held off Mountain Cat red-shirt freshman D.J. Sims for a 6-3 win in sudden victory.
 
The Mountain Cats travel to 13^th-ranked Kutztown University on Friday, before making their 2014-15 home debut against East Stroudsburg University on November 25 at 7 p.m. in the sports Center.
 
125 lbs.  Evan Link (UPJ)  Major Decision  Zach Brown (WLU)  11-3  4-0 UPJ
133 lbs.  Jim Harrison (UPJ)  Decision  Joe Wagstaff (WLU)  2-0  7-0 UPJ
141 lbs.  Malachi Krenzelak (UPJ)  Decision  Cole Nace (WLU)  9-7  10-0 UPJ
149 lbs.  Joel Paolo (WLU)  Decision  #8 Cole Landowski (UPJ)  3-2  10-3 UPJ
157 lbs.  Art Hobley (WLU)  Decision  Steve Edwards (UPJ)  6-5  10-6 UPJ
165 lbs.  Tyler Reinhart (UPJ)  Major Decision  DeMadre Turner (WLU)  12-2  14-6 UPJ
174 lbs.  John Blankenship (UPJ)  Decision  Jordan Nolan (WLU)  4-0  17-6 UPJ
184 lbs.  Adam Nickelson (UPJ)  Fall  Danny Doyle (WLU)  1:26  23-6 UPJ
197 lbs.  Nikos Garafola (UPJ)  Decision  Nate Dawson (WLU)  9-5  26-6 UPJ
285 lbs.  Aaron Silveri  Decision  D.J. Sims (UPJ)  6-3 SV1  26-9 UPJ