WHEELING, W.Va. – A new Ohio Valley college wrestling rivalry was born on Saturday when Wheeling Jesuit took on their neighbors on the hill, West Liberty in the first meeting between the two schools on the mat.
 
Though the Cardinals were able to grab a few key wins in the higher weight classes, the experience of the traditionally strong Hilltoppers put the fledgling Jesuit grapplers in a hole they couldn't dig out of, dropping the Cards 28-11.
 
"I think we saw some wrestling from them in the lightweights that we weren't expecting at all, much to their credit," said Wheeling Jesuit head coach Sean Doyle. "I think their kids were trying to set a tone early that it's going to take a lot for us to come in and take a win from them. We felt confident we were going to get some wins, but we wanted a team victory and just didn't get it."
In the early matches, WJU's Brad Kakos was surprised by WLU's Zach Brown, who took a win by fall at 3:30, and Scott Lopez couldn't match WLU's Bryce Gainer who earned a 5-1 decision.
 
The Cardinals got on the board when 141-pound freshmen Damon Outward was able to control Dillon Nolte, taking away an 8-6 victory, giving the Cardinals a swing of momentum. The momemtum wouldn't last long however as WLU's Daniel Carpenter pinned Jesuit's Dominick Nania who was clearly frustrated with the loss.
 
The Cards 174lb standout Sawyer Leppla was tussling well with WLU's Mike Emery, but an injury prevented what could have been an important win for the Cardinals.
 
Wheeling Jesuit's Max Lacey scored a big win for the Cardinals at 197 lbs, beating WLU's regionally ranked Danny Doyle 9-7 in overtime. Lacey scored a two-point takedown in the final seconds to send the match to extra time. Lacey took advantage of Doyle's fatigue, and pounced on him just seconds into overtime to score another two-point takedown and a win.
 
The Cardinals return to the mat on Friday, January 24^th when they take on Millersville University in the friendly confines of the Alma Grace McDonough Center in just the team's third home event in program history. Fans are encouraged to pack the house to cheer on the Ohio Valley's newest college wrestling program.

Final team score: WJU 11 – 28 West Liberty

125: Bradley Kakos (WJU, 7-15) vs. Zach Brown (WLU, 14-10): - Brown win by fall 3:30
133: Bryce Gainer (WLU, 11-6) vs. Scott Lopez (WJU, 19-8): - Gainer win 5-1 dec.
141: Damon Outward (WJU, 21-10) vs. Dillon Nolte (WLU): - Outward win 8-6 dec.
149: Daniel Carpenter (WLU, 6-4) vs. Dominick Nania (WJU, 18-14): - Carpenter win by fall 3 -12
157: Bryan Skoff (WLU, 13-8) vs. John Gershom (WJU, 10-16): - Skoff win 13-2 dec.
165: Anthony Smith (T.J.) (WJU, 4-14) vs. David Schlieper (WLU): - Schlieper 16-6
174: Mike Emery (WLU,) vs. Sawyer Leppla (WJU, 17-10): - Emery w by Default
184: Nate Hupp (WJU, 11-8) vs. Eric Antesberger (WLU,): - Antesberger 8-6
197: Danny Doyle (WLU, 11-8) vs. Maxwell Lacey (WJU, 15-14): - Lacey win 9-7 OT
285: Corey Siegfried (WJU) vs. Aaron Silverio (WLU, 17-7): - Silverio win 2-0