SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University wrestling team won two of its three matches on Saturday as part of a successful Alumni Day Quad Meet, defeating West Liberty on criteria, 20-19, and besting LIU Post, 26-19, after falling to No. 6 Wheeling Jesuit, 37-4, in competition from Heiges Field House.
 
Shippensburg (12-12), wrestling without multiple starters due to injury, won just one match against the No. 2 regionally-ranked Wheeling Jesuit (10-5), as junior Mike Springer scored a 14-3 major decision en route to a perfect Saturday. He later notched victories by fall in his other two matches.
 
Springer has now won 13 of his 14 bouts since the start of January, improving to 18-6 on the season with a team-high nine pins. That total is the most by a Raider under eighth-year head coach Seth Bloomquist and the most by any SU wrestler since Chris Barrick had nine pins in the 2007-08 season. Barrick was among the more than 25 wrestling alumni in attendance Saturday, and is pictured above with Bill "Spider" Corman, the father of SU wrestling.
 
Shippensburg overcame the Hilltoppers in the middle match on the third tiebreaker criteria, with match points resting 38-33 in the Raiders' favor. Both teams tied on the first tiebreaker (each winning five matches) and second tiebreaker (each with one "six-point" victory (pin or forfeit)).
 
SU benefitted from Springer's pin in 1:05 and a 13-0 major decision from junior Cody Blankenship, along with decisions by sophomore Dustin Steffenino, freshman Ryan Narber and freshman Derek Berberick.
 
There were only five contested matches in the finale against the Pioneers, with injuries ravaging both squads at this point in the season and additional setbacks occurring during Saturday's competition. The highlight was Springer's marvelous cradle after resuming a restart on defense, while Steffenino scored a technical fall and Narber claimed his second decision of the afternoon.
 
Shippensburg heads to No. 11 Pitt-Johnstown on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. dual meet with the Mountain Cats from Sports Center.
 
#6 Wheeling Jesuit 37, Shippensburg 4
125: Jacob Donahue (WJU) dec. Dustin Steffenino (SHIP), 1-0 (3-0)
133: Dustin Warner (WJU) dec. Cole Rush (SHIP), 3-2 (6-0)
141: Nolan Whitely (WJU) maj. dec. Jared Leonetti (SHIP), 11-2 (10-0)
149: Mike Springer (SHIP) maj. dec. Tyler Hogue (WJU), 14-3 (10-4)
157: Greg Brusco (WJU) dec. Adam Martz (SHIP), 2-0 (13-4)
165: Nic Skonieczny (WJU) dec. Ryan Narber (SHIP), 6-2 (16-4)
174: Reyse Wallbrown (WJU) wins by forfeit (22-4)
184: Anthony (TJ) Smith (WJU) dec. Hunter Fenk (SHIP), 6-3 (25-4)
197: Terrence Fanning (WJU) wins by forfeit (31-4)
285: Maxwell Lacey (WJU) pins Derek Berberick (SHIP), 1:11 (37-4)
 
Records:
Shippensburg: 10-12
Wheeling Jesuit: 10-5
 
Shippensburg 20, West Liberty 19
125: Dustin Steffenino (SHIP) dec. Zach Brown (WLU), 3-1 (3-0)
133: Bryce Humphreys (WLU) maj dec. Mike Hafer (SHIP), 12-3 (3-4)
141: Josh Ridgeway (WLU) dec. Jared Leonetti (SHIP), 6-1 (3-7)
149: Mike Springer (SHIP) pins Josh Spurlock (WLU), 1:05 (9-7)
157: Cody Blankenship (SHIP) maj. dec. Tryston Kessler, 13-0 (13-7)
165: DeMadre Turner (WLU) dec. Adam Martz (SU), 5-2 (13-10)
174: Ryan Narber (SHIP) dec. Carlos Kusic (WLU), 5-1 (16-10)
184: Nate Dawson (WLU) dec. Hunter Fenk (SHIP), 7-4 (16-13)
197: Logan Kemp (WLU) wins by forfeit (16-19)
285: Derek Berberick (SHIP) dec. Chris Cook (WLU), 8-2 (19-19)
(SHIP wins on third criteria, 38-33 in match points)
 
Records:
Shippensburg: 11-12
West Liberty: 1-13
 
Shippensburg 26, LIU Post 19
125: Dustin Steffenino (SHIP) tech falls Jacoby Jones (LIU), 19-1 [4:39] (5-0)
133: Anthony Sparacio (LIU) maj. dec. Cole Rush (SU), 14-6 (5-4)
141: Vinny Turano (LIU) wins by forfeit (5-10)
149: Cody Blankenship (SU) wins by forfeit (11-10)
157: Mike Springer (SU) pins Jackson Mordente (LIU), 4:49 (17-10)
165: Ryan Narber (SU) dec. Ed Ramirez Jr. (LIU), 5-0 (20-10)
174: Double forfeit
184: Hunter Fenk (SU) wins by forfeit (26-10)
197: Logan McGinn (LIU) wins by forfeit (26-16)
285: James Louison (LIU) dec. Derek Berberick (SU), 8-4 (26-19)
 
Records:
Shippensburg: 12-12
LIU Post: 10-8