Bucknell University
Drexel
Wrestling Handed First EIWA Loss to Drexel, 23-13
1/22/2023 5:11:00 PM | Wrestling
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell wrestling team dropped its first EIWA match of the season to Drexel 23-13 Sunday at Davis Gym. Drexel's three nationally-ranked wrestlers combined for 10 team points, and the Dragons used a 17-0 run to erase an early 10-6 Bison lead.
Bucknell (4-4, 3-1 EIWA) won four of the 10 bouts and lost two of them by just a single point. Junior Dorian Crosby (285) opened the match with Bucknell's biggest win of the day – a dominant 14-3 major decision over Santino Morina that got the Bison on the board first. Crosby remains unbeaten in duals this season at 4-0.
Drexel responded with a pin at 125 pounds before Bucknell's two top-ranked wrestlers, Kurt Phipps and Darren Miller, pulled off back-to-back wins at 133 and 141.
Following two scoreless periods and Phipps dominating in riding time, Drexel's Kyle Waterman relinquished an escape at the start of the third but was unable to get the takedown in the final two minutes as Phipps improved to a team-best 22-8 this season.
Miller followed with a dramatic finish at 141, pulling off a reversal with under 15 seconds left to break a 2-2 stalemate and defeat Jordan Soriano. Miller's win gave the Bison a 10-6 lead with six bouts to go.
141 | HE'S BACK! Darren Miller with a late reversal to win it! He posts a 4-2 decision over Jordan Soriano, and the Bison lead 10-6. @ESPN
— Bucknell Wrestling (@Bucknell_WRST) January 22, 2023
Watch: https://t.co/os2YP5Xwtx pic.twitter.com/EtsqqUkY78
Three of Drexel's next five grapplers were ranked 27th or higher by Intermat, and the Dragons rattled off five straight wins with back-to-back major decisions at 165 and 174 pounds. Riley Bower (157) nearly came back from a 4-1 first-period deficit but ended up dropping a 6-5 decision, and Mason McCready (184) was close to erasing a 3-0 deficit against No. 25 Brian Bonino before ultimately falling 3-2.
Nolan Springer won the final bout of the day with a 10-3 decision over Josh Stillings to improve to 3-1 in EIWA duals this season.
Up next, Bucknell faces a busy weekend with three duals in two days on Saturday, Jan. 28 and Sunday, Jan. 29. LIU visits Davis Gym Saturday morning before the Bison travel to Rider for a 7 p.m. dual. Bucknell then challenges Army in West Point, N.Y. on Sunday.
Drexel 23, Bucknell 13
January 22, 2023
Davis Gym – Lewisburg, Pa.
285: Dorian Crosby (BU) maj. dec. over Santino Morina (DU), 14-3 (BU 4-0)
125: Gabe Giampietro (DU) fall over Grayson McLellan (BU), 2:49 (DU 6-4)
133: No. 22 Kurt Phipps (BU) dec. over Kyle Waterman (DU), 2-0 (BU 7-6)
141: No. 20 Darren Miller (BU) dec. over Jordan Soriano (DU), 4-2 (BU 10-6)
149: No. 27 Luke Nichtner (DU) dec. over Braden Bower (BU), 6-0 (BU 10-9)
157: Tate Nichter (DU) dec. over Riley Bower (BU), 6-5 (DU 12-10)
165: No. 18 Evan Barczak (DU) maj. dec. over Chase Barlow (BU), 15-3 (DU 16-10)
174: Cody Walsh (DU) maj. dec. over Sam Barnes (BU), 14-3 (DU 20-10)
184: No. 25 Brian Bonino (DU) dec. over Mason McCready (BU), 3-2 (DU 23-10)
197: Nolan Springer (BU) dec. over Josh Stillings (DU), 10-3 (DU 23-13)