WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington and Lee wrestling team opened its 2013-14 campaign on Saturday at the Washington & Jefferson Invitational.  The Generals finished 13th out of 15 teams and had one individual place-winner.

Thiel finished as the team champion with 178 total points, while the Generals tallied 33 total points.

The top finisher for the Generals was first-year Bennett Lewis (St. Louis, Mo. / Westminster Christian), who placed fifth in the 197-pound weight class with a 4-1 overall record.  Lewis opened with a forfeit win over his opponent from Thiel, but was pinned in his second match by Jake Lowry of Thiel (0:49).  He then pinned Zeke Stroupe of Washington & Jefferson (6:02) and posted a 5-2 win over Thiel's Ryan Murphy.  Lewis finished with a 6-2 win over Maxwell Lacey of Wheeling Jesuit in the fifth-place match.

Sophomores Zac Richey (Swoope, Va. / Buffalo Gap) and Grant Cokeley (Charleston, W.Va. / George Washington) both completed their days with 2-2 overall records, as did first-year Mac Evarts (Millersville, Pa. / Penn Manor).

Washington and Lee will return to action on Wednesday when it travels to Ferrum for a 7:00 pm dual match against the Panthers. 

-- http://www.generalssports.com --

141 Pounds
Robert Ritschard (Thiel) d. Andrew Donchez; Fall 0:29
Kyle Jensen (Middlesex) d. Andrew Donchez; Fall 1:36
Michael Rodgers d. Jerry Cramer (Thiel); 6-5
Casimer Strzynski (Alma) d. Michael Rodgers; 6-2
Trevor Meyers (W&J) d. Michael Rodgers; 11-1 

165 Pounds
Chance Smith (Alma) d. Josh Weldon; 6-2
Abu Kaba (Waynesburg) d. Josh Weldon; 13-6
Mac Evarts d. Kevin O'Brien (Alma); 11-4
Taylor Black (Middlesex) d. Mac Evarts; 14-3
Mac Evarts d. Abu Kaba (Waynesburg); Fall 6:23
Christian Bosco (Seton Hill) d. Mac Evarts; 12-6

174 Pounds
Corbin White (Alderson Broaddus) d. Ron Tassoni; 8-4
Jamie Jakes (Alma) d. Ron Tassoni; 11-4

184 Pounds
Paul Mikhjian (Alma) d. Zac Richey; 6-1
Zac Richey d. Garrett Onkerko (Alderson Broaddus); 10-4
Zac Richey d. Nate Hupp (Wheeling Jesuit); 6-4
Cory Livingston (Alma) d. Zac Richey; 10-0

197 Pounds
Bennett Lewis won by forfeit
Jake Lowry (Thiel) d. Bennett Lewis; Fall 0:49
Bennett Lewis d. Zeke Stroupe; Fall 6:02
Bennett Lewis d. Ryan Murphy (Thiel); 5-2
Bennett Lewis d. Maxwell Lacey (Wheeling Jesuit); 6-2 (Fifth-place match)

285 Pounds
Grant Cokeley d. Rayem Ali (PSU Mont Alto); Fall 5:47
Grant Cokeley d. Garrett Schweitzer (Thiel); Fall 3:38
Blake Heim (Thiel) d. Grant Cokeley; Fall 0:34
Jaron Burke (PSU Mont Alto) d. Grant Cokeley; 6-2