Wrestling remains undefeated with victory at No. 17 Penn

Following the Terrapins wrestling team's eighth win in a row yesterday, it stopped for celebratory Philly cheesesteaks. After all, what better way to celebrate a 21-15 win over No. 17 Penn and an 8-0 overall record than a trip to the fabled Geno's Steaks in Philadelphia?

The eighth win marked the Terps' best start to a season in more than a decade, but it didn't come easy inside The Palestra, Penn's venerable basketball arena.

The Quakers (3-3) grabbed a quick lead over the No. 15 Terps after 133-pound Geoff Alexander and 149-pound Ben Dorsay both fell, bringing the team to a 9-3 deficit.

Kyle John (157 pounds) cut the Quakers' lead to three with a 15-2 major decision over Troy Hernandez, and 165-pound Josh Asper's win over Lorenzo Thomas pushed the Terps back on top. Penn was never again able to regain the lead.

Entering the final match, the Terps led 18-15, with No. 14 heavyweight Spencer Myers facing unranked Anthony DiLonardo in the deciding battle. DiLonardo and the Quakers needed the decision to tie the match and give Penn the win on criteria (most matches won). Myers muscled out four takedowns against DiLonardo to win the match with a 10-3 decision.

"That was a good match," coach Kerry McCoy said. "He's really been working recently. Technically and strategically, he went out there and did a good job of keeping his offense going and scoring points. He did a great job in getting that W."

Even more impressively, the win came without No. 9 197-pound Christian Boley. McCoy said Boley "needed to sit out," but indicated he is not in trouble.

"We had him in the lineup but he had some things he needed to do and he didn't get them done," McCoy said. "There are certain things you have to do in terms of being a part of our team, and sometimes guys make good choices and sometimes they make bad ones. It's nothing major, but we just have to keep him on track."

Corey Peltier, a backup in the 184-pound weight class, wrestled in his spot and suffered two takedowns in the second quarter and two more in the third. He lost on a technical fall with 15 seconds left in the last period.

Despite Boley's absence, the Terps won six of their 10 matches and went home — and to Geno's Steaks — with the victory.

"The guys wrestled well," McCoy said. "We went a little back and forth, but in the second half, we stepped up and the guys won some big matches. It was a good showing."

egan@umdbk.com