Panther wrestling wins seventh straight match

Freshman wrestlers Jordan Sianni and Francis Iorfido continued their domination in dual meets… Freshman wrestlers Jordan Sianni and Francis Iorfido continued their domination in dual meets as Pitt defeated host Lock Haven 22-18 on Saturday.

Sianni, who notched his 24th victory, is now 9-0 in dual wrestling meets. Iorfido is also unbeaten in dual competition.

The Panthers defeated the Bald Eagles (10-10 overall, 1-4 Eastern Western League), which extended their winning streak to seven matches.

Sianni opened the meet in the 125-pound weight class with a pin over Jim Collins. The victory came at the 6:08 mark in the third period and Sianni is now 24-4 on the season.

The second Panther pin came from Iorfido at 3:38 in the second period. Iorfido pinned Jason Gilligan in the 165-pound bout.

Senior James Thornton lost early in the match to a technical fall win, 16-0. Thornton was wrestling up a class in the 133-pound match from his usual 125-pound status. Lock Haven gained five points from this win.

Seventh-ranked Mike Maney gave Lock Haven an 8-6 advantage. Maney defeated redshirt freshman Ronald Tarquinio 8-1. This was Tarquinio’s second consecutive loss on the season, following a nine-match winning streak.

Pitt (8-3, 4-1) pulled ahead of the Bald Eagles in the 149-pound bout when senior Justin Giovinco handed James LaValle a 4-1 decision loss. This was Giovinco’s 20th win of the year.

Redshirt freshman Justin Nestor followed with his 19th victory at 157 pounds. Nestor controlled the pace as he gained a 19-5 major decision victory.

The Panthers concluded their scoring with an 8-2 decision by senior Carl Fronhofer in the 174-pound match.

Lock Haven, however, came back to win the final three matches. Senior Gregg Osbeck fell to Morgan Horner in the 197-pound weight class with an 18-5 major decision. Sophomore Mike Croyle and freshman Robert Kail dropped their matches in close, heated battles.

Pitt hopes to continue its winning streak against the nationally ranked West Virginia Mountaineers on Friday. This is Pitt’s last home meet of the season and it will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Fitzgerald Field House.