By Andrew Arnao

Writer

The wrestling team fell to No. 13 Lehigh 25-15 on Saturday, leaving the Orange and the Blue 2-11 overall this season and 2-1 in the EIWA.

Austin Miller ’15 won the first bout with a 7-3 decision at 125 pounds, raising his team-leading total of wins to 15.

“I thought our team wrestled well against Lehigh,” Miller said. “We improved, at least since our trip to Virginia earlier this month. There were some team points that we missed earning or gave up too easily in the match, including mine where I feel I should have picked up the major [victory].”

After Miller’s decision, victories came in sets of three. The Mountain Hawks rattled off three straight decisions to take an 11-3 lead. The Bison fought back with a pin by Corey Lear ’13, sandwiched between two decisions by John Regan ’12 and Stephen McPeek ’14, to take a 15-11 lead.

“[Austin] Miller had a great win at 125 pounds to get the ball rolling for the team,” Regan said.  “Corey Lear’s pin at 165 pounds was key for Bucknell to stay in the match with six points. McPeek at 174 pounds had a nail-biter and scored a takedown to win in the last 10 seconds.”

Lehigh managed to win the last three sets behind No. 4 Robert Hamlin and defending national heavyweight champion Zach Rey.

“Lehigh is very tough, year after year, and I think that was one of the best showings we have ever had against them, despite giving up a forfeit [to Hamlin],” Miller said.

The Bison are on the road to George Mason today and travel to Stillwater, Okla. to face Binghamton and Oklahoma State on Sunday.

“This upcoming week heading out to Oklahoma State will be an exciting experience,” Lear said. “It will give some of us a chance to wrestle some of the top wrestlers in the country. This doesn’t mean we are going to overlook George Mason, this will be a good match to pull together as a team and win.”

With just two wins to date, the Orange and Blue squad knows that it must capitalize on any opportunity to win.

“We should go into this weekend expecting to win all three of our matches,” Miller said. “If everyone puts together the best match of their life next Sunday night, we can win that dual match. If we don’t believe that we can win, we have no business even stepping on the mat.”