The third-ranked Mountain Cat wrestlers got a pin from Levi Niebauer at 184 lbs. that extended Pitt-Johnstown's lead into double figures and helped secure a 24-16 win over 11^th-ranked Ashland (OH) University, Friday night in the Sports Center.  The Mountain Cats improved to 6-0.
 
Pitt-Johnstown started fast and got a 12-3 major decision by Zeke Beatty over Sebastian Vidika at 125 lbs.
 
Ashland come back with three straight wins to go in front by six.  Top-ranked Michael Labry used a 13-4 major decision over Nolan Link at 133 lbs., and ninth-ranked Chandler Minnard held off Chris Eddins 4-3 at 141 lbs.  The Eagles then got a 4-3 decision from fourth-ranked Brent Fickel at 149 lbs. to make it 10-4.
 
However, that lead didn't last long.  Pitt-Johnstown used a 22-7 technical fall at 7:00 by fifth-ranked Cody Law over J.J. Diven at 157 lbs. to cut it to 1, before top-ranked Tyler Reinhart defeated Bret Romanzak, 7-5, at 165 to give the lead back to the Mountain Cats at 12-10.
 
John Blankenship's shut out Brenden Stanley, 6-0, at 174 lbs. and Levi Neibauer pinned Jared Pack at 4:42 to build the Mountain Cat lead to 21-10 with two bouts remaining.
 
Ashland kept its hopes alive and narrowed the gap 21-16 with Luke Cramer's fall at 2:35 over Tyler Oliver at 197 lbs.
 
The Eagles needed a pin by Deaken McCoy at 285 lbs. to upset Pitt-Johnstown.  That didn't happen as eighth-ranked D.J. Sims dealt McCoy a 7-3 loss that closed out the 24-14 Mountain Cat victory.
 
With the loss, Ashland slipped to 0-1.
 
The Mountain Cats travel to the 2016 PSAC Championships at Lock Haven University on December 10 and to the Midwest Classic in Indianapolis, IN on December 17-18.  Pitt-Johnstown will wrestle its next home match on Friday, January 13 when Lake Erie (OH) College visits the Sports Center.