Wrestling Secures 2-0 Weekend with 31-9 Win Over EIWA Foe American

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Eight Bison posted wins and four scored bonus points, as the Bucknell wrestling team capped a 2-0 weekend with a 31-9 win over American Sunday at Davis Gym. Bucknell improved to 6-3 (2-0 EIWA) with the win, while American fell to 5-9 (0-2 EIWA).

A pin in the 125 bout by Shamil Kalmatov gave the Eagles an early cushion, and they held a 9-6 lead after Jack Nies' win at 149, but the Bison went on to take the last six bouts to capture their fifth straight victory. It was the second day in a row Bucknell won its last five bouts and ended things with a big run. Bucknell's final five wrestlers accounted for 22 team points, posting two major decisions, a tech fall and a pin.

Back-to-back decisions by No. 17 Kurt Phipps (133) and Dylan Chappell (141) nullified American's early pin. Both Bison went 2-0 on the weekend.

American jumped in front again with Nies' 8-3 decision, but it would be the Eagles' final points of the day. Kolby DePron (157) started Bucknell's 25-0 run with a 6-0 decision over Ryan Zimmerman, winning his fifth in a row and improving to 2-0 in duals this season.

19th-ranked Noah Mulvaney (165) earned win number 21 of the season the following bout to score Bucknell's first bonus points of the day. He pinned American's Breon Phifer in the first period, registering his second fall of the season. Mulvaney is now 7-1 in duals.

Myles Takats (174) and Mikey Bartush (184) posted back-to-back major decisions and were nearing tech falls, winning 13-4 and 14-2, respectively. Bartush racked up 4:24 of riding time in his win and clinched the dual, setting the Bison up with a 23-9 lead.

Logan Deacetis (197) added his third tech fall of the season, defeating Liam Volk-Klos 15-0 in just 2:34, and No. 27 Dorian Crosby finished it off with a 7-2 decision over Will Jarrell, who entered the day 12-8. Crosby went 3-0 over Jarrell in 2022-23, including one win at the EIWA Championships.

The win was Bucknell's fifth in a row over the Eagles dating back to 2020, and the Bison are now 25-6-1 in the all-time series.

Bucknell returns to Davis Gym next Saturday, Jan. 27 to host Army. The Black Knights are also 2-0 in EIWA duals.

Bucknell 31, American 9
Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024
Davis Gym – Lewisburg, Pa.
Attendance: 251

125: Shamil Kalmatov (AU) fall over Grayson McLellan (BUC), 1:34 (AU 6-0)
133: No. 17 Kurt Phipps (BUC) dec. over Maximilian Leete (AU), 5-3 (AU 6-3)
141: Dylan Chappell (BUC) dec. over Cael McIntyre (AU), 5-2 (6-6)
149: Jack Nies (AU) dec. over Aiden Davis (BUC), 8-3 (AU 9-6)
157: Kolby DePron (BUC) dec. over Ryan Zimmerman (AU), 6-0 (9-9)
165: No. 19 Noah Mulvaney (BUC) fall over Breon Phifer (AU), 2:31 (BUC 15-9)
174: Myles Takats (BUC) maj. dec. over Lucas White (AU), 13-4 (BUC 19-9)
184: Mikey Bartush (BUC) maj. dec. over Brad Kata (AU), 14-2 (BUC 23-9)
197: Logan Deacetis (BUC) tech fall over Liam Volk-Klos (AU), 15-0 (2:34) (BUC 28-9)
285: No. 27 Dorian Crosby (BUC) dec. over Will Jarrell (AU), 7-2 (BUC 31-9)