Aided by four forfeits, Bethany (WV) jumped out to a 10-0 lead to start, then broke open a one-point lead with two forfeits to close out the match in a 29-18 victory over the Pitt-Johnstown women's wrestling team, Thursday evening in the Sports Center.
 
After falling behind early, Pitt-Johnstown, now 1-1 on the season, quickly cut it to 10-9 with two straight wins.  At 117 lbs., 14^th-ranked Tamara Humphries pinned Taelor Rae Busch at 4:28 to get the Mountain Cats on the board, and Emma Cunningham followed with a 10-0 technical fall at 2:46 over Malia Tocco at 124 lbs.
 
The Bison answered with a technical fall of their own at 131 lbs. when Rose Mary Dodd defeated Rome Alvarez, 10-0 at 1:35 to extend it to 14-9, but Pitt-Johnstown came back again.
 
Makayla Paclib, ranked 20^th in the country, picked up a 12-0 technical fall as the first period ended over Ari Tyson to get the Mountains back to within one.
 
However, with four matches remaining, and two guaranteed wins by forfeit, Jasmine Craddock put the match out of reach for the Bison when she pinned Isabella Taranto 1:20 into the opening period at 145 lbs.
 
A fall from Pitt-Johnstown's Emma Hoppe at :54 of the bout at 160 lbs. once again narrowed it to one at 19-18, but the forfeits at 180 and 207 lbs. locked up the Bethany victory.
 
The Bison improved to 5-1 on the year.
 
Pitt-Johnstown will travel to the Baldwin-Wallace Open in Berea, Ohio on Sunday to finish the first semester.  The Mountain Cats will then begin the Spring Semester with a dual meet at Penn State-Altoona on Jan. 7.