ERIE, Pa. – Unranked Mercyhurst jumped out to a 13-0 lead after the first three matches and the No. 9-ranked West Liberty University wrestling team couldn't battle all the way back Thursday night as Coach Brian Davis's Hilltoppers suffered their first dual meet loss of the year, 20-15, at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

The Lakers (7-0), who were among teams receiving votes in the latest national coaches' poll, opened the night with back-to-back technical falls as 125 and 133 before pulling out a 7-6 decision at 141 to build the double-digit lead.

Nick Wykoff and Art Hobley put West Liberty (2-1) on the board with decisions at 149 and 157, respectively, but a major decision by the hosts' Clint Schaefer at 165 left WLU staring up at a 17-6 deficit with just four matches remaining.

Matt Littleton (174), Danny Doyle (197) and Mike Carpenter (285) all came through with decision wins for the visitors but their efforts weren't quite enough to avert the upset.

The Hilltopper wrestlers will try to snap back on Saturday morning when they kick off the final day of the mammoth OVAC Wrestling Tournament with a 10 a.m. match against Ohio Valley University at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling.

WRESTLING

Mercyhurst 20, No. 9 West Liberty 15

125: Willie Bohince, (MC) tf. Joe Wagstaff, (WLU) 16-1

133: Dylan D`Urso, (MC) tf. Dillon Nolte, (WLU) 17-0

141: Nick Hannan, (MC) d. Daniel Carpenter, (WLU) 7-6

149: Nick Wykoff, (WLU) d. Michael Griffith, (MC) 9-5

157: Art Hobley, (WLU) d. Ian Grecco, (MC) 10-4

165: Clint Schaefer, (MC) md. Eric Antesberger, (WLU) 12-1

174: Matt Littleton, (WLU) d. Angelo Bortoluzzi, (MC) 3-2

184: Eric Lundgren, (MC) d. Derrick Williams, (WLU) 9-3

197: Danny Doyle (WLU) d. Seth Stonis (MERC) 3-1 (SV-1)

285: Mike Carpenter, (WLU) d. Jeff Pollard, (MC) 7-2.