PHILADELPHIA – The 19th-ranked University of Pennsylvania wrestling team opened the 2023 portion of its dual meet schedule with a 19-17 win over the University of North Carolina at The Palestra on Saturday night. The Red and Blue took a 10-6 lead with a tech fall at 197 pounds by #33
Cole Urbas, a lead they would not relinquish on the night.
The meet started with the 165-pound match up between #29
Lucas Revano and Joey Mazzara. Revano battled throughout the bout as he was down by two after the first and second periods. A couple of stalling calls on Mazzara gave Revano points to pull within one, but it was Mazzara who pulled out the 5-4 decision. Penn bounced back in the second bout at 174 pounds between #18
Nick Incontrera and Gino Esposito. Incontrera made quick work of his Tar Heel opponent as he jumped out to an 11-0 lead after the first period. Incontrera clinched the tech fall with just over a minute remining in the second period.
Maximus Hale took on #17 Gavin Kane at 184 pounds. The bout remained scoreless through two periods, but Kane had built up two minutes of riding time. The final period had all the scoring with Kane taking the 7-3 decision and giving UNC its final lead of the bout. Penn regained the lead with its second tech fall of the meet. Urbas made light work of Cade Lautt earning the tech fall in the final minute of the second period. In the opening period, Urbas opened the scoring with a takedown and then got two near fall points. As time was expiring in the first period, Urbas scored four back points to take an 8-0 advantage. He got the tech fall with a pair of four near fall points in a span of about 20 seconds. The victory at 197 gave the home team a 10-6 lead, a lead they would maintain throughout the remainder of the meet.
Penn was the only team on the night to win back-to-back bouts as #27
Ben Goldin gutted out a 2-0 decision over Brandon Whitman to follow up Urbas' victory. Scoreless after one, Goldin used an early escape in the second period for a 1-0 lead all while working to build up his riding time. The decision win from Goldin gave Penn a seven-point lead and some room to work with. UNC took a close battle at 125 between #31
Ryan Miller and #33 Jack Wagner. Miller found himself working from behind on the scoreboard as he trailed 2-1 after the first period and then 7-3 after the second period. Miller earned a pair of points in the final period but was unable to get two more points to tie.
#8
Michael Colaiocco jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the second period. As his opponent Jace Palmer attempted to get back in the bout, Colaiocco continued to increase his score as he won by a 10-4 decision. This win gave Penn a 16-9 lead. The Tar Heels used a major decision at 141 pounds by #21 Lachlan McNeil over #30
Carmen Ferrante that cut Penn's lead to just three.
#10
Doug Zapf took on Zach Sherman at 149 pounds and the two were scoreless after the first period. Zapf used an escape and a takedown to jump out to a 3-0 lead in the second period. Sherman quickly erased Zapf's advantage to tie it at 3-3. Just as he got his first three points, Zapf closed out the second period with an escape and a takedown to lead 6-3 at the end of the second period. Zapf took a 7-3 decision to all but seal up Penn's victory on Saturday night.
In the final bout of the evening, #15
Anthony Artalona was matched up with #4 Austin O'Connor. Needing six points to tie the meet, UNC was looking to get the fall and force the tiebreakers to decide the meet. Artalona and O'Connor were scoreless after the first period. O'Connor took a 6-3 lead in the final period and worked his way to the major decision but that wasn't enough to give his team the tie.
#19 Penn 19 | UNC 17
165: Joey Mazzara (UNC) over #29
Lucas Revano (PENN) (Dec 5-4) (0-3)
174: #18
Nick Incontrera (PENN) over Gino Esposito (UNC) (TF 18-0) (5-3)
184: #17 Gavin Kane (UNC) over
Maximus Hale (PENN) (Dec 7-3) (5-6)
197: #33
Cole Urbas (PENN) over Cade Lautt (UNC) (TF 16-0) (10-6)
285: #28
Ben Goldin (PENN) over Brandon Whitman (UNC) (Dec 2-0) (13-6)
125: #33 Jack Wagner (UNC) over #20
Ryan Miller (PENN) (Dec 7-5) (13-9)
133: #8
Michael Colaiocco (PENN) over Jace Palmer (UNC) (Dec 10-4) (16-9)
141: #21 Lachlan McNeil (UNC) over #30
Carmen Ferrante (PENN) (MD 12-1) (16-13)
149: #10
Doug Zapf (PENN) over Zach Sherman (UNC) (Dec 7-3) (19-13)
157: #4 Austin O'Connor (UNC) over #15
Anthony Artalona (PENN) (MD 13-5) (19-17)
UP NEXT
The Quakers head out west for a Sunday dual meet at Stanford on January 15. The Red and Blue return to The Palestra on Friday, January 20 when they host Lehigh. Fans can buy ticket for the Lehigh dual
here.
Tickets are now on sale for the 119th EIWA Championships. This year's championships will be held at The Palestra on March 4 and 5. All Session tickets, as well as individual sessions are on sale now and can be purchased
here.
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