WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The third-ranked Ithaca College wrestling team continued to make quick work of its opposition on Friday evening when it returned to the road for a dual at perennial challenger Wilkes University. The Bombers scored wins in 9-of-10 bouts in a dominant 40-3 victory over the Colonials, running their record to 13-2 on the season.
 
#3/3 Ithaca College 40 – Wilkes University 3
125 LB | Ferdinand Mase (ITHACA) def. Kyle Trout (WILKES) | TF: 19-2 (5:35)
133 LB | Tito Colom (ITHACA) def. Dylan O'Connor (WILKES) | TF: 23-7 (6:25)
141 LB | #4/4 Ben Brisman (ITHACA) def. Matt Grossmann (WILKES) | DEC: 6-2
149 LB | Josh Evans (WILKES) def. Jawan Jones (ITHACA) | DEC: 5-0
157 LB | #9 Austin Whitney (ITHACA) def. Bilal Bici (WILKES) | DEC: 11-8
165 LB | #4/3 Nick Velez (ITHACA) def.  Ashton Gyenizs (WILKES) | TF: 19-3 (5:00)
174 LB | #10 Jaison White (ITHACA) def. John Ritter (WILKES) | MD: 18-7
184 LB | #1/1 Jake Ashcraft (ITHACA) def. Matt Judge (WILKES) | FALL: 1:37
197 LB | Dymir Davis-Carruth (ITHACA) def. Nasser McCummings (WILKES) | MD: 17-6
285 LB | #2/3 Jake O'Brien (ITHACA) def. Richard Thompson III (WILKES) | TF: 29-13 (3:50)
EX. | Dalton Elias (ITHACA) def. Moustafa Almecky (WILKES) | FALL: 1:14
 
Ithaca has been getting major production from the top-half of its lineup during its red-hot run through the bulk of its dual meet schedule. The trend continued on Friday, as the Bombers scored bonus points in its first two bouts to race out to a 10-0 advantage.
 
Junior Ferdinand Mase gave IC the initial spark, controlling things from the outset in a dominant 19-2 technical fall. It was Mase's fifth technical fall of the year and 10^th consecutive win in wrestled bouts. Sophomore Tito Colom followed that up with a 23-7 technical fall over Dylan O'Connor, continuing his strong form of late. The tech was Colom's fourth of the campaign. The strong start put IC in the driver's seat and they never allowed Wilkes to threaten.
 
The middle bouts at 141-pounds, 149-pounds and 157-pounds proved to be the tightest on the evening with IC scoring 2-of-3 all decided by decision. Nationally-ranked Ben Brisman (4^th NWCA | 4^th d3wrestle.com) had the toughest battle in Wilkes top grappler Matt Grossmann. Brisman was clinical in his defense, outlasting Grossmann in a 6-2 decision. The 149-pound class continued to be a trouble spot for the Bombers, as Colonials scored their lone victory of the evening in Josh Evans' 5-0 decision over IC's junior Jawan Jones. Junior Austin Whitney (9^th NWCA) responded quickly with some big offense in an 11-8 decision. Ithaca came out of the three-bout stretch leading 16-3.
 
The Bombers pulled away down the stretch with bonus points in the final five bouts.
 
Senior Nick Velez (4^th NWCA | 3^rd d3wrestle.com) got things going with a 19-3 technical fall as the second period concluded. It was Velez's third technical fall of the year. Fellow senior Jaison White (10^th NWCA) followed that up with an 18-7 major decision that sealed the match at 25-3 with three bouts remaining. It was White's seventh major decision on the year.
 
Junior Jake Ashcraft (1^st NWCA | 1^st d3wrestle.com) has been absolutely mauling his opposition in recent weeks, ascending to the top-ranked position in both major NCAA Division III polls entering Friday's matchup. The onslaught continued for the talented Bomber 184-pounder, as he locked in his 20^th fall of the season. It was Ashcraft's 10^th fall in his last 12 wrestled bouts, an astounding run of dominance.
 
Freshman Dymir Davis-Carruth picked a victory in his lone appearance over the weekend and garnered the start for Friday's match at 197-pounds. He scored a 17-6 major decision over Richard Thompson III to stretch IC's lead to 35-3.
 
Junior Jake O'Brien (2^nd NWCA | 3^rd d3wrestle.com) put the cap on the match with another bonus-point triumph in his heavyweight bout over Richard Thompson III. Coming off two wins over nationally-ranked opponents this past weekend at the Wesleyan Quad, O'Brien stayed in the zone on Friday. He scored early and often in a scintillating 29-13 technical fall that finished off the 40-3 victory.
 
Ithaca returns to action this coming Wednesday, February 14, when it returns to Ben Light Gymnasium for the "Rumble and Tumble at the Hill" joint-meet with the IC Gymnastics program. Both team's will face SUNY Cortland in a meet running simultaneously with a start time slated for 7:00 p.m.