All-Americans

RED HAWKS FALL TO DVC, 28-21

Upper Montclair, NJ (01/25/03) - The Montclair State University wrestling team, ranked 16th in NCAA Division III, dropped to 8-2 in dual matches this season with today's home loss to eighth-ranked Delaware Valley (PA) College this afternoon at Panzer Gymnasium. It was the final home dual match of the 2002-03 campaign for the Red Hawks. DVC (11-3 overall) has now defeated MSU in three consecutive dual matches dating back to last season. MSU last defeated DVC, 24-13, on Jan. 30, 2001 in Upper Montclair.

Montclair State junior EDUARD ALIAKSEYENKA (Belarus), the No. 1 seed in NCAA Division III at 174 pounds, pinned second-seeded JOSH HOUSEKEEPER (Nottingham, PA) in 2:56 in the first match of the day to give Montclair a 6-0 lead while improving his own record this year to 17-1 overall with seven falls. Montclair freshman DENNIS GAUL (Moorestown, NJ) then recorded a 6-0 decision at 184 pounds for a 9-0 MSU advantage, but DVC came back to win the next two bouts, sophomore ANDREW HELMS (Drexel Hill, PA) by fall (2:16) at 197 pounds and classmate KYLE PHIPPS (Greenlane, PA) by major decision (8-0) at heavyweight to forge a 10-9 match lead for the Aggies.

MSU sophomore DARNELL MOORE (West Milford, NJ) pinned DVC sophomore MIKE WESTON (West Hazleton, PA) in 6:12 at 125 pounds to put MSU up, 15-10, but the Aggies again came back with two consecutive victories for a 20-15 advantage, as sophomore B.J WISE (Spring City, PA) won by fall (1:20) at 133 pounds and freshman JIM MOWBRAY (Drexel Hill, PA) picked up an 11-3 major decision at 141 pounds. Montclair senior RAMI RATEL (Bloomfield, NJ) then pinned JEREMY MESSINGER (Nazareth, PA) in 57 seconds at 149 pounds to give MSU its last lead of the day at 21-20. Ratel now leads Montclair with a 24-0 overall mark this season with a team-best 13 falls, and is now 117-9 in his four-year Red Hawk career.

Freshman MIKE BERLANDA (Pennsburg, PA) scored a 7-5 decision over MSU senior JESS MONZO (Clifton, NJ) at 157 pounds to put the Aggies on top for good at 23-21. DVC sophomore JASON SHIVAK (Mont Clare, PA) then recorded an 18-2 technical fall in exactly five minutes at 165 pounds for the final margin.

The Red Hawks honored four seniors - Monzo, Ratel, BILL DENIZ (South River, NJ) and GARY MIKOLAY (Andover, NJ) - in a pre-match ceremony. Montclair returns to dual action on Thursday, Jan. 30, at third-ranked College of New Jersey in Ewing; DVC next wrestles on Friday, Feb. 1, at the MAC Dual in Lycoming, PA. .