The Eagles wrestling team was unable muster a last match, winner-take-all win in their 21-18 defeat Jan. 31 against Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa.
The duel featured a back-and-forth battle as the score was tied on four different occasions.
“Tonight was a tough loss,” head coach Teague Moore told AUEagles.com. “But as a team we were able to wrestle hard in a lot of positions.”
Among the Eagles top individual victors were:
125-pound redshirt sophomore No. 11 David Terao
133-pound freshman Spencer Slishman
174-pound senior Keithen Cast
184-pound freshman Jason Crimes
Terao recorded his ninth straight win with a 8-3 decision victory over Bucknell’s Paul Pretrov.
Slishman earned a hard-fought 3-2 decision victory over Connor Lapresis to lift AU’s lead in the duel to 6-3.
“I’m very happy for Spencer, that match was won on heart,” Moore said.
After falling behind 12-9 later in the duel, Cast powered-out a 9-2 victory over Joey Krulock to tie the score at 12.
The Eagles won their second consecutive match of the night when Grimes put-up his first career fall to give the Eagles an 18-12 lead, pinning Rory Bonner in 1:42.
“Jason came through with a fall when the team needed it, and that’s great for a freshman to be able to accomplish,” Moore said.
Following the victory by Grimes, 197-pound senior No. 15 Daniel Mitchell conceded his victory due to injury setting up a tie meet heading into the last match of the evening.
With the dual heading into the last match tied at 18, an Eagle victory depended on the shoulders of heavyweight senior Blake Herrin. Despite a competitive effort, Herrin lost the match 5-0 to Joe Stolfi, giving Bucknell the 21-18 duel victory.
The Eagles next duel will be against Navy on Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. in Bender Arena.
