ERIE, Pa. – The Shippensburg University wrestling team picked up three pins on Friday night and had sophomore Kenny Stank earn a one-point decision at 149 pounds over the No. 5-ranked wrestler in Division II to achieve a statement victory over region No. 6 Gannon, 27-17, from the Hammermill Center.

Shippensburg (10-9), which was able to employ a full lineup for the first time in a dual meet this season, took the lead after the second bout and never relinquished its advantage. The Raiders entered Friday night's outing having lost four consecutive dual meets against the Golden Knights, falling by at least 16 points in each contest.

Sophomore Cody Myers got the Raiders going in the right direction with a victory by fall over Adam Weinell just 23 seconds before the final horn. Myers, ranked No. 4 in the region with a 15-2 overall record, remains undefeated in dual meets this year (14-0) and now has a team-high six pins.

Two key decisions helped establish the momentum for the Raiders. Junior Simon Rice earned a 5-4 decision at 141, surviving two third-period takedowns by Scott Bulzan, to improve to 11-10. That set the stage for Stank's clash with Swope.

Stank wrestled courageously and got his turns in against an opponent who was 10-0 in dual meets this season. Ultimately, Stank used a first-period takedown and near fall along with a late escape to win a 9-8 decision for his seventh consecutive victory. He is 5-0 at 149 pounds since shifting down one weight class before the ESU dual meet on January 26.

SU maintained a 12-8 lead heading into the bout at 165, where freshman Neil Grudi stepped onto the mat and notched his second victory by fall this season. Grudi's pin came in 1:57 after a reversal over Gannon's Adam Greenman. It was the ninth victory of the season for Grudi, who has won five consecutive bouts and six of his last eight.

Senior Tyler Zittle clinched the dual meet win at 184 pounds with a victory by fall in 2:46 over Gannon's Bret Terry – who was wrestling up one weight class but entered as the region's No. 6-ranked wrestler at 174 pounds. Zittle has 14 victories this season, five of which are pins.

In the final bout of the night, junior Dan Estricher picked up a 3-2 decision over Gannon's Christopher Boyd. Estricher, ranked No. 4 in the region, bumped his record up to 12-5.

Shippensburg will face Mercyhurst, the No. 3 team in the region and the No. 10 team in Division II, at 1 p.m. Saturday from the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

HTML Breakdown

Shippensburg 27, Gannon 17
125: Matthew Turek (GU) tech falls Colten Keck (SU), 5:49 [25-9] (0-5)
133: Cody Myers (SU) pins Adam Weinell (GU), 6:37 (6-5)
141: Simon Rice (SU) dec. Scott Bulzan (GU), 5-4 (9-5)
149: Kenny Stank (SU) dec. Ethan Swope (GU), 9-8 (12-5)
157: Sean Floor (GU) dec. John Lindquist (SU), 5-0 (12-8)
165: Neil Grudi (SU) pins Adam Greenman (GU), 1:57 (18-8) 
174: Keith Stoerr (GU) dec. Dylan Treaster (SU), 8-5 (18-11)
184: Tyler Zittle (SU) pins Bret Terry (GU), 2:46 (24-11)
197: Kristopher Rahn (GU) pins Dan Fultz (SU), 3:56 (24-17)
285: Dan Estricher (SU) dec. Christopher Boyd (GU), 3-2 (27-17)