Thomas Haines needed just 43 seconds to lift Lock Haven past No. 11 Rutgers.
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Thomas Haines (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco) needed just 43 seconds to pin Razohnn Gross and seal one of the biggest wins in recent Lock Haven University wrestling history. Haines' pin put the match away and secured Lock Haven's 22-16 upset of No. 11 Rutgers (3-1) tonight in front of a sellout Thomas Fieldhouse crowd
In front of 2,357 raucous fans, LHU (1-0) won five bouts including four by way of bonus points to power the Bald Eagles to their first win over a top-25 team in nearly 12 years.
Lock Haven's last win over a ranked opponent came back on February 13, 2005, when LHU topped West Virginia, 21-17. The victory also snapped a two-match losing skid to Rutgers, marking the Bald Eagles first win over the Scarlet Knights since January 2008.
Haines, Kyle Shoop (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs), Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco), Alex Klucker (Summerdale, Pa./East Pennsboro) and Chance Marsteller (New Park, Pa./Kennard-Dale) all won for Lock Haven.
Shoop posted LHU's first win of the night and the major decision sparked a four-bout win streak for the Bald Eagles. Perry knocked off No. 13 Eleazar DeLuca, 5-1 while both Klucker and Marsteller dominated their opponents in their LHU dual-debut.
Rutgers held a slight 14-12 advantage despite Lock Haven's aggressive style from everyone in the lineup. In the end, LHU's bonus-point victories proved important and none was more important than Haines' pin to seal it.
RELATED: The latest USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll
The Scarlet Knights jumped out to a 7-0 lead after posting wins at 125 and 133. No. 2 Nick Suriano majored Josiah Kline (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge) 19-5 at 125 in the night's opening bout, before No. 10 Scott DelVecchio posted a 11-5 decision over returning national qualifier DJ Fehlman (Warren, Pa./Warren).
Shoop put the Bald Eagles on the board in a big way after he dominated Michael Van Brill 13-0 on the way to a major at 141. Shoop jumped on M. Van Brill early and led 4-0 after one. It was 11-0 after two as Shoop put on a clinic on the way to a 6:15 riding time advantage.
In the night's only bout between two nationally-ranked wrestlers coming at 149, Perry, ranked No. 15 came out on top. He grinded out a 5-1 workmanlike win over DeLuca, ranked No. 13. The score remained scoreless after one period, but Perry earned an escape and a takedown in the second to jolt to a 3-0 lead after two. In the third, Perry was awarded a point after DeLuca was hit with a stall call and Perry extended the score to 5-1with a 1:35 riding time advantage.
Big Win last night for the Program! I am so proud of the way are young men competed! Let’s stay humble and Hungry for more! #TheRise #whiteout #packthehouse @LockHavenWrstl pic.twitter.com/WlbU4wsyDY
— Nate Carr (@NCJ_Treated) December 3, 2017
Perry's win knotted the dual at 7-7.
At 157, Klucker went to work early on Nick Santos and earned the tech fall at the seven-minute mark. Klucker led 6-0 after one, 9-0 after two and racked up 5:36 of riding time on the way to the 16-1 victory (TF, 7:00). Klucker's tech fall pushed LHU into the lead for the first time at 12-7
Marsteller, ranked No. 10, followed up Klucker's tech fall with Lock Haven's second major of the match. Marsteller dominated John Van Brill on the way to the 11-3 win at 165. Marsteller, who racked up four takedowns in the bout and led 8-2 after the second remained undefeated, and moved to 12-0 on the season. Marsteller's victory extended Lock Haven's lead to 16-7.
Joe Grello edged out Jared Siegrist (Manheim, Pa./Central), 3-2 at 174 to cut The Haven lead to 16-10.
MORE: Penn State wrestling's December brings lighter schedule, preparation for January
Jordan Pagano bumped up to 184 and posted a 4-2 sudden-victory win for Rutgers. He edged out Corey Hazel (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley).
At 197, another Rutgers wrestler bumped up from his normal spot in the lineup. Nick Gravina, ranked No. 9 at 184, moved up to 197 and edged Tristan Sponseller (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs), 6-4.
The three straight Scarlet Knight wins at 174 – 184 – 197 tied the dual at 16-16, which set things up for some late Lock Haven dramatics.
For Haines, he needed just 43 seconds to pin Gross, seal the upset-victory and send the packed Thomas Fieldhouse crowd into an absolute frenzy.
