WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The No. 21-ranked Pitt-Johnstown wrestling team overcame a 14-10 deficit by sweeping the final three matches to pull off a 23-14 upset of No. 5 West Liberty in Thursday night's mutual season opener inside a jam-packed ASRC.
    The host Hilltoppers were operating at less than full strength with two-time defending 133-pound national champion Tyler Warner and three-time national qualifier Logan Kemp (197) sidelined by injuries but head coach Danny Irwin wasn't looking for excuses.
    "That had zero impact," Irwin said when asked about the missing veterans. "This is a team. The fact that we put 10 very capable guys out there tonight and didn't get it done all comes back to me. I'm disappointed in myself for not having my team ready to go. That's on me. I own that."
    The visiting Mountain Cats opened with back-to-back decisions at 157 and 165 to grab an early 6-0 lead and looked ready to take control early with three-time All-American Brock Biddle, ranked No. 6 in the country, taking the mat at 174.
    Ty McGeary, the Hilltoppers' 2021 MEC Freshman of the Year, had other ideas as he went toe-to-toe with the UPJ veteran from the opening whistle. The match was tied, 1-1, in the waning seconds of the third period when McGeary caught Biddle with a flash takedown for a 3-1 lead, bringing the huge crowd to its feet. McGeary played it safe, allowing a late escape and finishing on his feet for a 3-2 win.
    "That was a huge win for McGeary," Irwin said. "It's a credit to the way he's been training and the goals he sets in terms of where he wants to go and what he wants to achieve. It's all out there for him."
    Three-time All-American Connor Craig, another former national champion, gave the hosts their first lead with a dominant 16-1 technical fall at 184 pounds but Pitt-Johnstown answered with a major decision at 197 for a 10-8 advantage at intermission.
    Returning national qualifier Francesco Borsellino, ranked No. 8 nationally at 285, breezed to a 7-3 win against Isaiah Vance when action resumed. That set the stage for the only match of the night between nationally-ranked wrestlers.
    Cole Laya, ranked No. 1 at 125 as the defending national champion and three-time All-American, was in control throughout in his match against No. 11-ranked Matt Siszka. Laya's 5-2 decision put the Hilltoppers up, 14-10, but they couldn't close the deal. The Mountain Cats got a major decision at 133 to tie the match, 14-14, and followed with a fall at 141 and a decision at 149 to wrap it up.
    More than 500 fans pushed their way inside the ASRC, including a large group of West Liberty wrestling alumni who were honored on the mat during intermission.
    "What an awesome crowd we had in here tonight," Irwin said. "It was great to see so many of our wrestling alumni back on campus and we're so appreciative of the support we receive from the Ohio Valley wrestling community. Unfortunately, outside of a couple moments, we didn't give them what we wanted to give them and that's one of my biggest disappointments."
    The West Liberty wrestlers head to Alliance, Ohio on Saturday to compete in the Mount Union Invitational. The Hilltoppers open Mountain East Conference action on Wednesday when they travel to Wheeling for a 6:30 p.m. dual.
  125: #1 Cole Laya (WLU) d. #11 Matt Siszka (UPJ), 5-2
133: Mason Myers (UPJ) md. Luke Miller (WLU), 8-0
141: Caleb Morris (UPJ) p. Marcus Jean-Baptiste (WLU), 6:19
149: #7 Jacob Ealy (UPJ) vs. Jordan Watters (WLU), 6-3
*157: Nate Smith (UPJ) d. Christian Rivera (WLU), 3-2
165: Dillon Keane (UPJ) d. #9 Chase Morgan (WLU), 9-5
174: Ty McGeary (WLU) d. #6 Brock Biddle (UPJ), 3-2
184: #2 Connor Craig (WLU) tf. Gage Arnold (UPJ), 16-1
197: Dakoda Rodgers (UPJ) md. Drake Kendrex (WLU), 18-6
285: #8 Francesco Borsellino (WLU) d. Isaiah Vance (UPJ), 7-3 157: Alec Cook (WLU) p. Austin Lee (UPJ), 2:24
285: Oggie Atwood (UPJ) d. Jamie Kilmer (WLU), 8-3
     *-started at 157