GREENWOOD, S.C. - The 7th ranked West Liberty University wrestling team went a perfect 4-0 today at the Carolina Clash Duals hosted by Lander University. The Hilltoppers finished the day by knocking off the T4th ranked hosts, extending their dual win streak to 11 in a row.

"Some absolute dogs out there today for us, we had ten guys completely submersed in enjoying the fight," said Head Coach Danny Irwin. "You make trips like this to challenge your team and our Hilltoppers responded!"

West Liberty started the day with routs of Belmont Abbey (35-9) and Simon Fraser (37-9), then continued its roll with a 24-15 triumph over Mount Olive, who entered the day unbeaten in duals. 

The Hilltoppers capped off the event with a high intensity battle against fellow nationally-ranked Lander, which came down to the final match and ended 18-17 in favor of the Black and Gold. West Liberty started strong with hard-fought decisions by #1 Cole Laya and #9 Vincent Scollo. Scollo completed a third period takedown as the deciding point in a 3-2 victory over #6 nationally ranked Elijah Lusk. 

The Bearcats got on the board in the 141 pound bout with a pin by their top-ranked wrestler to even the score, at 6-6. 

Jacob Simpson took on the second ranked wrestler in the region, Jack Tangen, at 149 and came up huge for the Black and Gold with a 3-2 tiebreak win. Each side got an escape in regulation to force overtime and more than one would be needed. In the third extra frame, Simpson got an escape to tie it up at two and then won the match off a riding time advantage to put the Hilltoppers back in front. 

Eighth ranked Jamar Williams rolled past his opponent, 6-1, to finish his 3-0 day. Then two consecutive Bearcat wins, a 7-6 decision at 165 and 6-4 sudden victory at 174, tied the dual at 12 heading to the final three matchups. 

It was a faceoff of nationally-ranked combatants at 184 between #3 Ty McGeary and #6 Logan Hall. After a scoreless first period, McGeary got on the board with an escape to start the second. Hall answered with an escape to tie it in the third, but McGeary completed a take down shortly after and that would prove to be enough holding on for the 3-2 victory to put the 'Toppers back in front. 

Lander responded right back and took its first lead of the match with an 18-3 tech fall in the 197 bout, setting up a winner take all finale at 285 between #8 Francesco Borsellino and #5 Juan Holmes. A well wrestled match was tied at one with under a minute left in regulation. Borsellino dug deep and got a take down with 44 seconds remaining in the third period, then added one more for good measure in the final seconds to win the match (5-2) and the dual (18-17). 

It was sweet revenge for Borsellino in the finale after Holmes ended his season in the national tournament a year ago. "For (Francesco) to lock into his positions like he did is a huge step forward for him," said Coach Irwin. "With that, getting the final point to take out Lander is a cherry on top!"

Overall Borsellino, the graduate student from Waynesburg, Ohio, was one of six Hilltoppers to go unbeaten today going 3-0 with a pin. "The team really wrestled tough today," said Borsellino. "In the Lander dual our whole team was coaching and really being a part of the matches. My match determining the outcome was fun. I dropped a match last year at Nationals against him so it felt like a good closing out the trip with that win and us going 4-0 this weekend as a team."

McGeary led the six unbeaten 'Toppers with four wins, including the first three all by pin. In the opener, he slammed down a regionally ranked opposition just two minutes into the match. The junior from McDonald, Pa. continued the dominance with back-to-back second period pins in the middle matches.

Williams continued his perfect start to the season with three decisions today, all by at least three points. This was the transfer's first dual in the Hilltopper singlet, "It felt good going to war next to my brothers," said Williams. "One thing I remember is my coaches and teammate Chase Morgan saying "be a dawg". I knew exactly what needed to be done and I'm glad to be a part of this amazing program. #ClimbTheHill"

Scollo bookended the day with decisions and earned a 17-0 tech fall in the Simon Fraser dual to go 3-0 and improve his season record to 8-1. "(Vincent) took out two opponents today who have been at the national championships, with one of them who was ranked ahead of him," said Coach Irwin. "He has our team fired up on the mat and especially from the bench!"

Speaking on that energy, Scollo said, "It was an awesome experience beating the #4 team in the nation in their home gym and silencing their crowd, we all wrestled really tough and grinded out some tough wins today to help get us there. These are the matches we live for and couldn't be happier without the outcome today win, lose or draw. I love being a Hilltopper, the place is home"

Laya earned a pair of forfeit victories in the first two matches then took care of business in his two challenged bouts. Against Mount Olive, he posted an injury win one minute into the bout after picking up points for a take down and near fall, then Laya was the kick starter for the Lander match with a 6-2 decision.

Blake Miller won his lone match at 157 in the Simon Fraser dual by way of a 16-0 tech fall.

Jacob Simpson (149) and Alec Cook (174) each went 3-1 today. Simpson started the day with a major decision, 10-0, in the Belmont Abbey bout. Chase Morgan had the only other major decision for WLU, also in the opening dual of the day when he won 15-7 off a trio of third period takedowns.

A split squad traveled to the Indiana Little State Invite to compete individually for the Hilltoppers. Jamie Kilmer headlined the event for the Black and Gold placing third at 285. Alexander Crane (125), Toby Abbott (157), Chance Morgan (174), and Parker Bentley (197) all finished in fourth place of their respective brackets. 

West Liberty will be back in the home confines of the ASRC for its next two outings, a dual with the University of Findlay next Sunday is first up. "(Findlay) is a tough team that has challenges from start to finish," said Coach Irwin. "We will need to be ready to answer the bell again." Then the mini homestand rounds out the following Friday with the Hilltopper Duals.

Follow Hilltopper wrestling all season online at HilltopperSports.com as well as on Twitter (@WLU_Wrestling | @WLathletics), Instagram (@WLU_wrestling | @wlu_athletics), and Facebook.