FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason wrestling team fell to Navy, 23-14, on Thursday night at the Recreation Athletic Complex in Fairfax, Va.
 
With the match starting at 157 pounds, Mason sophomore Kolby Ho built a 4-2 lead over Navy junior Jack Stanton-Taddeo after the first period.  Ho recorded two more takedowns in the second period to increase the lead to 8-4.  In the third period, Ho notched his fifth takedown on the way to an 11-5 decision.
 
In a defensive match at 165 pounds, Mason senior Ryan Yorkdale took a 1-0 lead into the third period over Navy freshman Brian Case.  After Case tied the score, 1-1, with an escape early in the third, the match went to overtime where Case scored a takedown for a 3-1 decision.
 
At 174 pounds, Navy senior Spencer Carey won by fall over Mason graduate student Anthony Lombardo to give the Midshipmen a 6-3 lead in the match.     
 
At 184 pounds, Mason sophomore Paul Pierce stormed out to a 10-2 lead in the first period over Navy junior Anthony Buckley.  Pierce led 16-5 going into the third period and notched a 20-5 technical fall.
 
Navy freshman Jacob Koser recorded a 17-1 technical fall over Mason sophomore Ramses Montalvo at 197 pounds to increase the Navy match score advantage to 14-8.
 
In the heavyweight bout, Mason freshman Jake Slinger jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a takedown against Navy freshman John Birchmeier midway through the first period.  Birchmeier countered with an escape and a takedown to take a 3-2 edge.
 
Birchmeier held on for the decision to give Navy a 17-8 lead in the match.
 
Navy added to the advantage with a decision at 125 pounds.
 
At 133 pounds, Mason freshman Josh Jones scored four near-fall points early in the second period to take a 4-2 lead over Navy junior Casey Cobb.  Trailing 5-4 in the third, Jones scored four more near-fall points and went on to notch a 9-8 decision.
 
With Navy leading the match, 20-11, Mason senior Alex Madrigal and junior Cody Trybus were scoreless after the first period at 141 pounds.  The score was tied 1-1 with 30 seconds remaining when Trybus scored a takedown to earn a 3-1 decision.
 
In the final bout of the night, Mason senior Colston DiBlasi led Navy freshman Val Park 2-0 after one period.  Park scored with a reversal in the second to even the bout, 2-2.  DiBlasi took the lead when he was awarded a point for an illegal hold with a minute remaining in the third and added to it with a takedown for a victory by 5-2 decision.
 
The Patriots are back in action when they host Hofstra at noon at the Recreation Athletic Complex.
 
Navy 23, George Mason 14
 
157 | Kolby Ho (Mason) decision over Jack Stanton-Taddeo (Navy), 11-5 | 3-0 Mason
165 | Brian Case (Navy) decision over Ryan Yorkdale (Mason), 3-1 | 3-3
174 | Spencer Carey (Navy) fall over Anthony Lombardo (Mason), 6:49 | 9-3 Navy
184 | Paul Pierce (Mason) technical fall over Andrew Buckley (Navy), 20-5 (6:02) | 9-8 Navy
197 | Jacob Koser (Navy) technical fall over Ramses Montalvo (Mason), 17-1 (4:06) | 14-8 Navy
285 | John Birchmeier (Navy) decision over Jake Slinger (Mason), 6-4 | 17-8 Navy
125 | #16 Logan Treaster (Navy) decision over Talha Farooq (Mason), 9-5 | 20-8 Navy
133 | Josh Jones (Mason) decision over Casey Cobb (Navy), 9-8 | 20-11 Navy
141 | Cody Trybus (Navy) decision over Alex Madrigal (Mason), 3-1 | 23-11 Navy
149 | Colston DiBlasi (Mason) decision over Val Park (Navy), 5-2 | 23-14 Navy