Feb. 15, 2008

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Mason wrestling was dominant against Duquesne on Friday evening at the A.J. Palumbo Center in Pittsburgh, Pa., winning eight of the ten bouts on its way to a 35-6 victory. With the win, the Patriots earned their 12th dual win of the season, the most wins since the 1996-97 campaign when Mason went 12-3 on its way to winning the CAA Championship.

Mason faced an early deficit when Brian Wright lost a decision at 125 pounds to open the meet. However, the Patriots bounced back with three consecutive wins to take a 10-3 lead heading into the 157-pound bout. Duquesne's Cody Midlam earned a 5-1 decision over Frankie McLaughlin to cut into Mason's lead and make the score 10-6 heading into the 165-pound bout.

It would be the closest Duquesne would get as the Patriots won the last five matches to close the meet with 25 unanswered points to take a 35-6 victory. Mason earned three falls and a major decision in the final five matches. Including among those wins was junior Tyler Tisdell's first win of the season at 165 pounds. Tisdell, an NCAA qualifier in 2006, has battled injuries all season long, limiting his action to just two matches. His return will be an immediate lift to an already solid George Mason starting lineup.

George Mason will look to continue its winning ways when it faces Delaware State on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Fieldhouse. The Patriots have won three consecutive dual meets and five of their past six, with the only blemish being a loss against then-No. 22 Old Dominion on Feb. 3.

George Mason 35 Duquesne 6
125: Jonathan Bittinger (DU) dec. Brian Wright (Mason), 5-2, 3-0 Duquesne
133: Joe Coughlin (Mason) maj. dec. Kevin Chapman (DU), 16-5, 4-3 Mason
141: William Powars (Mason) dec. Jayk Cobbs (DU), 7-5 (SV), 7-3 Mason
149: Brandon Bucher (Mason) dec. Brad Shrum (DU), 4-2, 10-3 Mason
157: Cody Midlam (DU) dec. Frankie McLaughlin IV (Mason), 5-1, 10-6 Mason
165: Tyler Tisdell (Mason) maj. dec. Dan Pauley (DU), 10-1, 14-6 Mason
174: Randy Oates (Mason) fall Scott Black (DU), 5:59, 20-6 Mason
184: Bill Widener (Mason) dec. Ryan Sula (DU), 7-2, 23-6 Mason
197: Cayle Byers (Mason) fall Dave Mitchell (DU), 2:07, 29-6 Mason
285: Harry Zander (Mason) fall Joe D'Orsie (DU), 0:26, 35-6 Mason