SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University wrestling team returned to action Tuesday after a layoff of nearly one month, but the Raiders responded with impressive dual-meet victories over Belmont Abbey (37-7) and Seton Hill (24-15) in competition held inside Heiges Field House.
 
Shippensburg (3-4, 1-0 PSAC) started the evening by winning 8-of-10 bouts over Belmont Abbey (4-5), a Super Region II opponent from North Carolina. Sophomore Mike Springer and redshirt-freshman Shane Springer each made their season debuts in the match and came away with pins – Mike's in 40 seconds and Shane's on a chin lift in 1:28.
 
Those were not even the fastest pin of the match, however, as sophomore Evan Ramos stayed true to form at 197 pounds with a victory by fall in 30 seconds, using a successful cradle to score his second pin of the year. SU got bonus points in six of its eight wins against the Crusaders, including a technical fall from freshman Dustin Steffenino and major decisions by juniors Dante Steffenino and Karl Lightner.
 
Five Raiders posted wins in both dual meets: the Steffenino brothers, Ramos, freshman Adam Martz and sophomore Hunter Fenk. Martz notched an impressive 7-3 decision against Scott Bosak of Belmont Abbey, the No. 5 regionally-ranked grappler at 149 pounds who was wrestling up one weight class.
 
Despite wrestling consecutive matches, the Raiders had enough energy to defeat Seton Hill, ranked No. 5 in Super Region 1, in SU's first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Division II match of the year. Momentum began with a 10-3 decision for Dustin Steffenino at 125 pounds and a forfeit win at 133 pounds, giving Shippensburg an early 9-0 advantage.
 
With the meet 9-7 in SU's favor through four duals, Martz used two first-period takedowns to ultimately earn a 5-1 decision at 157 pounds.
 
But the swing match came at 165 pounds, where senior Mark Lentz stepped up big in gutting out a 4-3 decision over Tanner Druck. In a match that featured multiple delays for blood time, Lentz entered the third period up 3-2 but relinquished the lead with about a minute left due to an illegal move. Undaunted, Lentz ultimately rode Druck the entire final frame, flipping the riding-time advantage into his favor to result in the victory.
 
Fenk helped further the SU advantage with an impressive fight at 174 pounds, going toe-to-toe with Luke Shaffer. Despite trailing 2-0 after two periods, Fenk scored a takedown seven seconds into the third period, and after Shaffer escaped, eventually tied the score by working two opponent stall calls. With the score tied late in regulation, Fenk got a takedown with 16 seconds left to earn his 5-3 victory.
 
Ramos was winning his match at 197 pounds before taking an injury default over his opponent, regionally-ranked Jake Temple. Shaheed Hill made his dual-meet debut at heavyweight in the match; he had won an exhibition earlier in the day by fall. 
 
Shippensburg will head to Collegeville this weekend for the Ursinus Duals, which are expected to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday from Ursinus College. A schedule of events is not yet available.

SHIPPENSBURG 37, BELMONT ABBEY 7
125: Dustin Steffenino (SU) tech falls Will Rees (BAC), 19-2 [5:39] (5-0)
133: Dante Steffenino (SU) maj. dec. Travis Allen (BAC), 15-5 (9-0)
141: Karl Lightner (SU) maj. dec. Jon Charpenter (BAC), 16-6 (13-0)
149: Mike Springer (SU) pins Nic Mitchell (BAC), 0:40 (19-0)
157: Adam Martz (SU) dec. Scott Bosak (BAC), 7-3 (22-0)
165: Joe Coss (BAC) maj. dec. Mark Lentz (SU), 14-2 (22-4)
174: Hunter Fenk (SU) dec. Patrick Argast (BAC), 8-4 (25-4)
184: Shane Springer (SU) pins John Wilson (BAC), 1:28 (31-4)
197: Evan Ramos (SU) pins Dane Mitchell (BAC), 0:30 (37-4)
285: Chaas Delgado dec. (BAC) Derek Earnest (SU), 3-0 (37-7)
 
Records:
Belmont Abbey: 4-5
Shippensburg: 2-4
 
SHIPPENSBURG 24, SETON HILL 15
125: Dustin Steffenino (SHIP) dec. Collin Dees (SHU), 10-3 (3-0)
133: Dante Steffenino (SHIP) wins by forfeit (9-0)
141: Joey Allesandro (SHU) maj. dec. Jared Leonetti (SHIP), 16-2 (9-4)
149: #8 Ty Lydic (SHU) dec. Mike Springer (SHIP), 7-5 (9-7)
157: Adam Martz (SHIP) dec. Jake Willochell (SHU), 5-1 (12-7)
165: Mark Lentz (SHIP) dec. Tanner Druck (SHU), 4-3 (15-7)
174: Hunter Fenk (SHIP) dec. Luke Shaffer (SHU), 5-3 (18-6)
Seton Hill was deducted one team point due to consecutive coach warnings following the 174-pound match.
184: Morris Lawson (SHU) dec. Shane Springer (SHIP), 10-4 (18-9)
197: Evan Ramos (SHIP) inj. def. Jake Temple (SHU), 4:59 (24-9)
285: Alex Soutiere (SHU) pins Shaheed Hill (SHIP), 4:02 (24-15)
 
Records:
Seton Hill: 4-2, 2-2 PSAC
Shippensburg: 3-4, 1-0 PSAC