Feb. 23, 2003

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. - Fifth-ranked West Virginia completed its second consecutive Eastern Wrestling League dual season undefeated, knocking off Cleveland State 25-16 Sunday evening at the WVU Coliseum.

At 133, 10th-ranked Phil Mansueto (Middletown, N.Y./Middletown) of Cleveland State opened the match with a 7-3 decision over #12 Brandon Lauer. Mansueto scored a reversal in the second and two takedowns in the third to take the victory.

However, the Mountaineers followed by racking up five straight wins, including two pins and a technical fall to take control of the dual, 22-3. At 141, 13th-ranked Shane Cunanan got the Mountaineers started by pinning Matt DePolo (Bellevue, Ohio/Bellevue). Cunanan, who was leading the match 9-2, turned DePolo at the 5:33 mark and had his shoulders to the mat long enough for the fall.

Smith, ranked 10th in the nation, also finished his dual career in fine style with a hard-fought 6-3 decision over Anthony Coleman (Bellevue, Ohio/Bellevue). After a scoreless first period, Smith rode Coleman for 1:47 of the second before allowing the escape. Smith started the third with an escape before tacking on two takedowns in the third for the victory.

At 157, Matt Lebe handled CSU's Matt Shultz racking up nine takedowns for the 23-7 technical fall at 6:01. At 165, Tom McMath used two takedowns in the first and one in the third for the 7-4 decision over Jason Effner (Garfield Heights, Ohio/Garfield Heights).

At 174, top-rated Greg Jones needed just 1:26 to pick up his 43rd consecutive victory and finish the regular season with a perfect 25-0 record. With the match scoreless, Jones took CSU's Ron Howard (Cincinnati, Ohio/Finneytown) over his shoulder and brought him to the mat straight to his back to record the fall.

However, Cleveland State countered at the top of its lineup capturing a decision at 184, a major decision at 197 and a pin at heavyweight to narrow the score to 22-16.

Fourth-ranked Gerald Harris got things started for Cleveland State with a narrow 3-2 decision over No.14 Ryan Wilman. Harris' first period takedown proved to be the difference. In one of the wildest matches of the night, Viking Stipe Miocic (Willowick, Ohio/Eastlake North) raced out to an early 12-4 lead in the first period at 197 before WVU's Adrian Thompson scored a takedown and had Miocic on his back nearly recording the fall. Thompson was working on the pin as time expired in the first. Miocic proved to be too much for Thompson the rest of the way, though, notching five takedowns in the second and third periods to register the 27-14 major decision.

At heavyweight, 16th-ranked Russ Davie (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrsyburg) and #13 Brent Miller seemed destined for overtime with the match tied 1-1 late in the third. Davie, however, was able to get Miller on his back and recorded the fall at the 6:56.

However, West Virginia's 17th-ranked Seth Lisa concluded the dual with a 6-3 decision over No.18 Rocco Mansueto (Middletown, N.Y./Middletown) at 125 to clinch the victory for the Mountaineers.

Cleveland State will return to the WVU Coliseum for the EWL Tournament March 8-9.

#5 West Virginia 25, #24 Cleveland State 16

133 - #10 Philip Mansueto (CS) dec. #12 Brandon Lauer (WV), 7-3

141 - #13 Shane Cunanan (WV) pinned Matt DePolo (CS), 5:33

149 - #10 Billy Smith (WV) dec. Anthony Coleman (CS), 6-3

157 - Matt Lebe (WV) tech. fall Matt Schultz (CS), 22-7 (6:01)

165 - #12 Tom McMath (WV) dec. Jason Effner (CS), 7-4

174 - #1 Greg Jones (WV) pinned Ron Howard (CS), 1:26

184 - #4 Gerald Harris (CS) dec. Ryan Wilman (WV), 3-2

197 - #17 Stipe Miocic (CS) maj. dec. Adrian Thompson (WV), 27-14

HWT - #16 Russ Davie (CS) pinned #13 Brent Miller (WV), 6:56

125 - #17 Seth Lisa (WV) dec. #18 Rocco Mansueto (CS), 6-3