WHEELING, W.Va. (Dec. 2) - The No. 7 Wheeling Jesuit University wrestling team posted a convincing 38-9 win against West Liberty in a dual at the McDonough Center Sunday night.

The Cardinals, ranked No. 7 in the most recent National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division II Top-25 poll and competing for the third time in five days, improve to 3-2 overall in duals this season. Meanwhile, the Hilltoppers drop to 0-2 with losses to WJU and No. 8 Pitt.-Johnstown.

"It was a busy last few days of wrestling, but really excited about how we capped this weekend off tonight against West Liberty," said Head Coach Danny Irwin.

The Cardinals had a 12-0 lead in the dual with a blink of an eye. The night started with a 25-second fall by sophomore Tyler Warner (Denison, Ohio/Claymont) and a forfeit win at 141 to open up a double-digit lead.

"We came out and set the tone early with Warner and finished it with a hard cross in the closing seconds of a major decision victory for Cole Laya."

Things slowed down at 149 and 157. Sophomore Tyler Alberts (Ellwood City, Pa./Ellwood City) earned a 6-4 decision at 149, and junior Tyler Jenkins (Byesville, Ohio/Meadowbrook) was edged in the first tiebreaker 5-3 at 157.

A major decision by senior Keegan Driscoll (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Bradley), followed by tech falls by sophomores Connor Craig (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) and Aidan Pasiuk (Carrollton, Ohio/Carrollton) established an impressive 29-3 lead for Wheeling Jesuit with only three matches remaining.

No. 2 Terrance Fanning (Bruceton Mills, W.Va./Preston) posted a tech fall at 285 and a major decision by No. 7 Cole Laya at 125 helped seal the deal for the Cardinals against West Liberty.

"This dual is a big deal to us and will continue to be," added Irwin. "We want to not only be the best team in the upper panhandle, but in the country."

"That is what we need every time out from now until March. Effort and attitude from all ten guys that go out there for us. We will have a couple lighter duals coming up before we go into a hostile environment out on the east coast against a program that is capable of winning the team title in division three."

The Cardinals are on the road this Saturday, December 8 when they take on Urbana in a dual at 5 p.m.

FINAL RESULTS
125: #7 Cole Laya (WJU) def. Corey Secrist (WLU) MD 13-2
133: #4 Tyler Warner (WJU) def. Steven Slack (WLU) fall – 0:25
141: Jared Donahue (WJU) win by forfeit
149: Tyler Alberts (WJU) def. Josh Ridgeway (WLU) Dec. 6-4
157: Josh Cornell (WLU) def. Tyler Jenkins (WJU) Dec. 5-3 (TB1)
165: #7 Keegan Driscoll (WJU) def. Owen Zeiders (WLU) MD 12-4
174: Connor Craig (WJU) def. Chance Morgan (WLU) TF 17-1
184: Aidan Pasiuk (WJU) def. Isaiah Myers (WLU) TF 16-0
197: #9 Logan Kemp (WLU) def. Chase Logan (WJU) fall - 4:28
285: #2 Terrance Fanning (WJU) def. Francesco Borsellino (WLU) TF 18-1