LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Redshirt senior Alex Hornfeck’s 13-0 major decision over Ashton Eyler sparked the West Virginia University wrestling team to a 34-9 win over Lock Haven to complete its regular season on Sunday afternoon at Thomas Fieldhouse.
With the win, the Mountaineers match the 1972 squad as the only other team finish 10-5 in program history, as well as join the 1963, 1982, 1987 and 1988 squads as the sixth team to conclude its regular season with 10 dual wins. West Virginia also improves to 24-15 overall and 15-3 since the dawn of the new millennium against Lock Haven.
Hornfeck’s dominance at 157 pounds kick started a 25-0 run in which West Virginia won six straight to end the dual. The redshirt senior delivered a takedown in the first period and then pulled off a reversal and scored a four-point nearfall by leaning back to put Eyler’s shoulders to the mat in the second period. He added four more points on a takedown-two-point nearfall combination to seal the bonus-point win in his final regular season match for the Mountaineers.
Junior Peyton Hall, ranked No. 12 at 165 pounds, recorded his eighth pin of the season to finish his third year with a 21-3 record.
Two bouts later, redshirt junior Anthony Carman came back from as much as a four-point deficit to claim a 9-5 decision over LHU’s Colin Fegley at 184 pounds. Down 4-1 entering the third period, Carman pulled off a reversal to get within one. Fegley escaped to take a two-point lead with a minute remaining in the bout, before Carman fought through the Bald Eagle holding on to his right leg to secure his first takedown of the match and force a 5-5 tie at the 27-second mark. Like Hornfeck, the Glen Dale, West Virginia, native used his leverage by leaning back to gain four points via a nearfall to seal the win.
Redshirt freshman Jordan Titus (141), redshirt sophomore Austin Cooley (197), and redshirt junior Michael Wolfgram (HWT) combined for nine points off three decisions on top of outscoring their opponents 22-7.
Of note, Sunday saw head coach Tim Flynn earn his 254th win to pass Ron Gray, who registered a combined 253 wins coaching at Kent State and Franklin & Marshall from 1968-1996, to move into sole possession of 37th place among the all-time winningest Division I wrestling coaches.
Looking ahead, after taking the rest of February off from competition, West Virginia travels to compete at the 2023 Big 12 Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma on March 4-5. The event will take place at the BOK Center for the seventh consecutive year.
Match Results
125: Colton Drousias (WVU) won by forfeit
133: HM Gave Strickland won by fall over Jace Schafer (WVU), [T – 4:28]
141: HM Jordan Titus (WVU) dec. Zack Zeamer (LHU), 6-0
149: Nick Stonecheck (LHU) dec. No. 20 Sam Hillegas (WVU), 3-0
157: Alex Hornfeck (WVU) major dec. Ashton Eyler (LHU), 13-0
165: No. 12 Peyton Hall (WVU) won by fall over Aiden Gaugler (LHU), [T – 1:42]
174: Scott Joll (WVU) won by forfeit
184: HM Anthony Carman (WVU) dec. Colin Fegley (LHU), 9-5
197: Austin Cooley (WVU) dec. Cael Black (LHU), 10-3
HWT: No. 14 Michael Wolfgram (WVU) dec. Isaac Reid (LHU), 6-4
Team Rankings: NWCA
Individual Rankings: FloWrestling
