BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The George Mason wrestling team earned a win in its Eastern Wrestling League opener with a 24-11 victory over Bloomsburg on Thursday at the Nelson Field House in Bloomsburg, Pa.

Mason won seven of the 10 bouts on the night to improve to 2-0 on the season.

After the Huskies took an early lead with a major decision at 125 pounds, Mason freshman Mel Ortiz won in a tiebreaker, 5-4, over Lewis Williams at 133 pounds. 

The score was tied 2-2 heading into the third period before Ortiz took the lead with an escape point.  After Ortiz was whistled for stalling with 20 seconds left, the match went to overtime, before Ortiz secured the victory.

Bloomsburg increased its match score advantage to 7-3 with a decision at 141 pounds.

The Patriots then earned victories in the next four bouts, three with bonus points, to take control of the match with a 15-7 lead.

At 149 pounds, redshirt senior Tejon Anthony picked up a 16-4 major decision over Grant Bond.  Anthony led 8-4 after two periods and recorded five takedowns in the match.

Freshman Kolby Ho followed with a 14-5 major decision against Nate Newberry at 157 pounds, while redshirt junior Colston DiBlasi notched a 15-4 major decision over Alex Carida at 165 pounds.

At 174 pounds, junior Philip Stolfi recorded an 8-6 win in sudden victory.  Stolfi secured a takedown in the final seconds of the third period to send the match to overtime, where he scored a takedown with 35 seconds left for the victory.

After the Huskies picked up a major decision at 184 pounds, the Patriots finished the night with decisions at 197 and 285 pounds.

Mason redshirt junior Eli Spencer outlasted Klye Murphy for a 6-4 decision and redshirt senior Matthew Voss registered a 5-2 decision over Bruce Graeber.  Voss improved to 10-0 on the season.

Spencer led 2-0 heading into the third period.  After Murphy tied the match with an escape and reversal, Spencer scored two takedowns to pick up the win.

Voss took the lead in his match with a takedown and near fall with a minute remaining in the first period.  He added an escape point in the second period to earn the victory.

The Patriots will remain on the road and are back in action when they take on Lock Haven on Friday at 7 p.m. at Thomas Fieldhouse.

George Mason 24, Bloomsburg 11

125 | Willy Gerard (Bloomsburg) major decision over Talha Farooq (Mason), 16-7 | 4-0 Bloomsburg
133 | Mel Ortiz (Mason) decision over Lewis Williams (Bloomsburg), TB-1, 5-4 | 4-3 Bloomsburg
141 | Aaron Coleman (Bloomsburg) decision over Julio Alegria (Mason), 8-5 | 7-3 Bloomsburg
149 | Tejon Anthony (Mason) major decision over Grant Bond (Bloomsburg), 16-4 | 7-7
157 | Kolby Ho (Mason) major decision over Nate Newberry (Bloomsburg), 14-5 | 11-7 Mason
165 | Colston DiBlasi (Mason) major decision over Alex Carida (Bloomsburg), 15-4 | 15-7 Mason
174 | Philip Stolfi (Mason) decision over Anthony Vetrano (Bloomsburg), SV-1 8-6 | 18-7 Mason
184 | Trevor Allard (Bloomsburg) major decision over Paul Pierce (Mason), 12-4 | 18-11 Mason
197 | Eli Spencer (Mason) decision over Kyle Murphy (Bloomsburg), 6-4 | 21-11 Mason
285 | Matthew Voss (Mason) decision over Bruce Graeber (Bloomsburg), 5-2 | 24-11 Mason