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Kyle Kwiat becomes ONU's all-time career wins leader as #19 wrestling finishes fifth at Lycoming Duals

By Tim Glon

Senior Kyle Kwiat became Ohio Northern's all-time career wins leader, leading the No. 19-ranked Polar Bears to a fifth place finish at the 2013 Budd Whitehill Duals at Lycoming (Pa.) College on Saturday.

Kwiat went 3-0 on Saturday, leading ONU to victories over Thiel (Pa.), Williams (Mass.) and No. 25 College of NBew Jersey, and posted a  6-0 record on the weekend.

The Polar Bears defeated Thiel 32-8, topped Williams 26-11 and won the fifth place match 24-19 over New Jersey.

Kwiat, the defending national champion and nation's top-ranked wrestler at 174 pounds is now 22-3 on the season and is 135-16 in his career.

He passes national champions Vinny Cameron (133-27-3 from 1986-89) and Luke Miller (133-29 from 2008-11).

Kwiat had a pin, four tech falls and a major decision and now has 11 tech falls on the year.

Four other ONU wrestlers finished 5-1 on the weekend.

Juniors Jerry Pasquale and Michael Pawlitz, sophomore Cody Lovejoy and freshman Tyler Gargano all went 5-1.

Pasquale had one pin and four decisions at 125 pounds, Pawlitz had two pins, a tech fall, a major decision and a forfeit, Lovejoy had three pins and two decisions and Gargano had a pin a four decisions.

Lovejoy's brightest moment came in the fifth place match against New Jersey, as his first period pin helped ONU overcome a 19-18 deficit to post a 24-19 win.

The Polar Bears will return to action Tuesday when they open Ohio Athletic Conference action with a 7:30 pm match against Muskingum at the ONU Sports Center.

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