Sixth-ranked Evan Link set the tone with a convincing win over fifth-ranked Dustin Warner to start the match at 125 lbs., and the third-ranked Pitt-Johnstown wrestlers got bonus points in six other bouts in a 32-9 non-conference victory over No. 16 Wheeling Jesuit (WV) University, Friday night in the Sports Center.  The Mountain Cats improved to 12-1.
 
Link got the Mountain Cats started with his over Warner.  Link got a takedown late in the first period to open-up a 2-0 lead, before breaking it open with four more third period points to take the 6-1 decision.
 
At 133 lbs., Nick Roberts built a 13-2 advantage on 2015 National Qualifier Nolan Whitely after two periods and cruised to a 16-3 win, before eight-ranked Sam Hanau scored a 19-4 technical fall at 4:08 over Damon Outward to extend the Pitt-Johnstown lead to 12-0.
 
The Mountain Cats went on to win five of the final six bouts to keep the Cardinals from getting any closer.  Back-to-back major decisions then increased it to 20-6.  Devin Austin answered with a 10-2 major decision over Reyse Wallbrown at 157 lbs., and Tyler Reinhart dealt Keegan Driscoll a 13-2 loss at 165 lbs.
 
Pitt-Johnstown kept it going with John Blankenship's 2-0 decision over Dean Meyer at 174 lbs., and second-ranked Travis' McKillop's 18-0 technical fall over Sawyer Leppla at 6:18 in the 184-lb. bout.
 
At 197 lbs., Terrance Fanning got a take down with three seconds remaining to defeat Pitt-Johnstown's Jacob Hart, 4-2, and narrow it to 28-9, but third-ranked D.J. Sims closed out the 32-9 Mountain Cat victory with a 9-1 major decision over Logan Bowman at 285 lbs.
 
With the loss, Wheeling Jesuit has dropped its last five dual meets and slipped to 7-5 on the season.
 
Pitt-Johnstown will wrap-up a stretch of three straight home matches against Millersville University next Friday at 7 p.m. in the Sports Center, before traveling to Shippensburg University for another conference match on February 9.

vs. #16 Wheeling Jesuit (WV) University
125 lbs.  #6 Evan Link (UPJ)  Decision  #5 Dustin Warner (WJU)  6-1  3-0 UPJ
133 lbs.  Nick Roberts (UPJ)  Major Decision  Nolan Whitely (WJU)  16-3  7-0 UPJ
141 lbs.  #8 Sam Hanau (UPJ)  Technical Fall  Damon Outward (WJU)  19-4 (4:08)  12-7 UPJ
149 lbs.  Dominick Nania (WJU)  Fall  Travis Shaffer (UPJ)  2:24  12-6 UPJ
157 lbs.  Devin Austin (UPJ)  Major Decision  Reyse Wallbrown (WJU)  10-2  16-6 UPJ
165 lbs.  Tyler Reinhart (UPJ)  Major Decision  Keegan Driscoll (WJU)  13-2  20-6 UPJ
174 lbs.  John Blankenship (UPJ)  Decision  Dean Meyer (WJU)  2-0  23-6 UPJ
184 lbs.  #2 Travis McKillop (UPJ)  Technical Fall  Sawyer Leppla (WJU)  18-0 (6:18)  28-6 UPJ
197 lbs.  Terrance Fanning (WJU)  Decision  Jacob Hart (UPJ)  4-2  28-9 UPJ
285 lbs.  #3 D.J. Sims (UPJ)  Major Decision  Logan Bowman (WJU)  9-1  32-9 UPJ