Wrestling to Battle For Seventh-Place at National Duals on Sunday
Jan. 14, 2005
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The seventh-ranked Shippensburg University wrestling team went 2-2 on the first day of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA)/Cliff Keen National Duals being held at the University of Northern Iowa this weekend. As a result, the Red Raiders will face the University of Nebraska-Kearney on Sunday morning in a battle for seventh-place.
Shippensburg (3-3) advanced to tomorrow morning's match following a 28-9 loss to third-ranked University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown in the wrestleback bracket. To begin the day, the Red Raiders defeated the University of Findlay before losing to No. 2-ranked Minnesota State University-Mankato in the championship bracket.
The Red Raiders advanced to face UPJ after getting by Fort Hayes State University on a tiebreaker. The two teams battled to a 16-16 tie before Shippensburg was declared the winner as a result of Rule 4, Section 12 of the 2006 NCAA Wrestling Rules and Interpretations manual.
Highlighting Saturday's action was the return of 2005 NCAA Division II national champion at 197 pounds and No. 1-ranked junior Corey Jacoby (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic), who missed the first half the season with an injury. Also returning to the lineup for his first match of the season was junior Mark Murphy (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern York) who earned All-America honors at 184 pounds a year ago.
Along with Jacoby and Murphy, junior Jamie Thomas (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley), currently ranked No. 1 at 125 pounds and senior Jake Lininger (Camp Hill, Pa./Lower Dauphin), No. 6-ranked at heavyweight, each went undefeated through the team's first three matches.
Both Jacoby and Murphy picked up victories in the 25-14 victory over Findlay in the first round as Jacoby cruised 17-4 over Justin Tazzi and Murphy edged Clint Salisbury, 4-3. Lininger won by fall at 2:39 while Thomas scored a 6-2 victory.
Sophomore Rick Mascino (Philadelphia, Pa./North Catholic) won 8-3 at 174 pounds while senior Alex Renn (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) and red-shirt sophomore Dan Naumann (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) each won at 141 and 149 pounds, respectively.
Against No. 2 Minnesota State-Mankato, the Red Raiders managed three victories, but Mankato rolled to a 27-8 win. Jacoby won by fall at 2:04 while Lininger rolled to a 16-3 major decision and Thomas tallied a 6-3 victory.
Thomas remained undefeated with a 9-5 decision over Dustin Greenemeyer of Fort Hayes State before Renn won by a 5-2 margin over Bruce Bahe. Fort Hayes State then won the next four consecutive matches before Murphy, Jacoby and Lininger each won to tie the match at 16-16. Jacoby won by major decision, 13-1, over Dustin Martin.
