PHILADELPHIA – A new dual meet season began for the University of Pennsylvania wrestling team with some new faces in the lineup and a familiar one behind the bench in Hall of Fame head coach Roger Reina, but a back-and-forth dual with Rider ended up in the visitor's favor, 19-15, inside The Palestra.
 
The Quakers started three freshmen and had two more starters returning after a year-long absence, and were in striking distance of a win heading into the final bout at heavyweight before a decision for Rider's Ryan Cloud was the difference.
 
One of those freshmen – Gianni Ghione – brought the home crowd to its feet with a first-period pin of his opponent at 133 pounds. With his team trailing 4-0, Ghione quickly scored a takedown and used his legs to turn his opponent to his back and score the fall just 0:34 into his Penn dual meet career.
 
That win was one of four in the dual meet for the Quakers. The newcomer was joined in the winner's circle by three seniors as Joe Oliva (6-3), No. 17 Joe Heyob (7-3) and No. 12 Frank Mattiace (4-2) each scored decision victories.
 
Heyob and Mattiace won back-to-back to close the Quakers within one point at 16-15 with one bout to go, but the heavyweight result went Rider's way and so did the dual result.
 
Rider (2-1) defeats Penn (0-1), 19-15
125: JR Wert (Rider) MD Daniel Planta (Penn), 13-5 Rider leads, 4-0
133: Gianni Ghione (Penn) FALL Jonathon Tropea (Rider), 0:34 Penn leads, 6-4
141: Tyson Dippery (Rider) DEC Marc Mastropietro (Penn), 9-4 Rider leads, 7-6
149: Joe Oliva (Penn) DEC Gary Dinmore (Rider), 6-3 Penn leads, 9-7
157: No. 8 B.J. Clagon (Rider) DEC Joe Velliquette (Penn), 5-2 Rider leads, 10-9
165: No. 6 Chad Walsh (Rider) DEC May Bethea (Penn) 6-2 Rider leads, 13-9
174: Dean Sherry (Rider) DEC Khamari Whimper (Penn), 12-8 Rider leads, 16-9
184: No. 17 Joe Heyob (Penn) DEC Michale Fagg-Daves (Rider), 7-3 Rider leads, 16-12
197: No. 12 Frank Mattiace (Penn) DEC Ethan Laird (Rider), 4-2 Rider leads, 16-15
285: Ryan Cloud (Rider) DEC Patrik Garren (Penn), 10-4 Rider leads, 19-15
 
How It Happened

• JR Wert opened the dual meet with a major decision for Rider at 125. Penn's Daniel Planta scored the first takedown, but Wert had the next five – including three in the third period to break open the bout.
• Gianni Ghione needed just over half a minute to pick up his fourth pin of the season in seven matches. He scored a takedown and then quickly flipped Jonathon Tropea to his back for the fall.
• Repay came into effect at 141 as Marc Mastropietro appeared to score reversal and then a takedown in quick order in the first period. However, Rider challenged and the call was changed to be just a reversal for Mastropietro and a 2-2 score instead of 4-3 in favor of the Quaker. Tyson Dippery quickly reversed off the restart following the long break and in the process Mastropietro was injured and had to take injury time. Dippery would escape off his choice following the timeout and led, 5-2, after one period. An escape and takedown in the third for Dippery would ice the bout.
• Joe Oliva got in the win column with a solid effort over Gary Dinmore. Oliva scored the bout's first takedown and would go on to break a 2-2 tie in the third period with another score for a 6-3 decision.
• In the first of two featured matches, Rider's No. 8 B.J. Clagon had an escape and a takedown in the second period to break a 0-0 tie with Joe Velliquette. Clagon would add a second takedown in the third period for a 5-2 decision.
• No. 6 Chad Walsh made it two wins in a row over May Bethea with a 6-2 decision at 165. Bethea scored the first takedown, connecting on a nice double leg in the first period. Walsh would escape and score a takedown in the second for a 4-2 lead after two periods. Bethea chose down for the third, and could not escape as Walsh drew two stalling calls and added riding time for the final score.
• Khamari Whimper controlled much of his match at 174, but a pair of four-point moves from Dean Sherry were the difference. Whimper had three takedowns in the opening minutes and led, 6-4, midway through the second when Sherry won a scramble for a takedown and two nearfall. In the third, Whimper would escape early to tie the match, 8-8. The two wrestlers would lockup on the edge of the mat, and Sherry was able to trip Whimper to his back for a second takedown/nearfall combination and a 12-8 win.
• No. 17 Joe Heyob had two takedowns in the first period and added a reversal in the third for a comfortable 7-3 decision over Michale Fagg-Daves.
• No. 12 Frank Mattiace scored a takedown in the first period, but had trouble fighting through the defense of Ethan Laird the rest of the way. Mattiace controlled most of the ties, but only managed a 4-2 decision that was made close by a meaningless Laird score with 0:01 remaining.
• With the dual in the balance, Rider's Ryan Cloud scored an early takedown in the first period and would add two more in the second to build a 6-3 lead after two. He would add a fourth takedown in the third period and riding time for a 10-4 decision.

 
The Quakers are back in action on December 3 with three duals at the Hofstra Duals. Penn takes on Campbell (12 p.m.), The Citadel (2 p.m.) and Hofstra (4 p.m.)