F&M tops Millersville to retain the Rupp Cup

Friday, February 10

Lancaster, PA

7:00 PM

Millersville University

Franklin and Marshall

F&M tops Millersville to retain the Rupp Cup

2/10/2023 9:23:00 PM | Wrestling

By: Ethan Hulsey, Director of Athletic Communications

LANCASTER, Pa. - Millersville picked up four wins in a span of five matches for a momentary lead but could not close down the stretch as Franklin & Marshall pulled away for a 29-12 win, retaining the Rupp Cup for the third year in a row.

Decisions from Devin Flannery (133), Tim Uhler (141), Craig Cook (149) and Brandon Connor (165) put the Marauders up 12-10 with three matches remaining. F&M closed in a big way, scoring a tech fall at 174, and pins at 184 and 197. F&M also got a tech fall from 125-pound Mason Leiphart, who is the Division I leader in tech falls with 11 and has bonus points in 21 of his 25 wins.

Flannery improved to 26-3 with his win over Pat Phillips. A Phillips escape to start the third period evened the match at 1-1, but Flannery scored a takedown in the final period for Millersville's first points of the match. Uhler earned a 4-3 win over Aidan O'Shea. All four of Uhler's points came on takedowns in the first period. Cook won by a 6-2 score over Byrce Kresho, improving to 18-6. Cook scored first with a takedown in the opening period and led throughout, hitting a reversal in the third to stretch his lead to 6-0. Connor, now 18-5, scored an early takedown and then piled up the riding time for a 3-0 win.

F&M improved to 8-5 while Millersville fell to 10-7.

REACTION FROM COACH JERRY BOLAND
• On the dual and looking ahead to the super regional: "Things didn't go the way we wanted tonight. We knew it would be a battle. We have to put it behind us and get ready for the postseason push. We are in a good spot from a training and conditioning standpoint. We need to clean some things up on bottom and on our counter attacks. But I think the overall mentality in the room is that we are ready."

ABOUT THE RUPP CUP
• The Rupp Cup is a series that started in 2008 and is named in honor of Dr. Ted Rupp. Rupp was a 1934 graduate of Franklin & Marshall and started the wrestling program. After serving in World War II, Rupp became a professor at Millersville and founded the wrestling program, winning two PSAC Championships. Rupp coached both F&M and Millersville in 1948-49.

RESULTS
285: Vincenzo Pelusi (F&M) over Jordan Espinosa (MILL) (MD 13-3)
125: Mason Leiphart (F&M) over Bryce Beatty (MILL) (TF 17-2 3:26)
133: Devin Flannery (MILL) over Pat Phillips (F&M) (Dec 3-1)
141: Tim Uhler (MILL) over Aidan O`Shea (F&M) (Dec 4-3)
149: Craig Cook (MILL) over Bryce Kresho (F&M) (Dec 6-2)
157: Nick Alvarez (F&M) over Elijah Tuckey (MILL) (Dec 7-2)
165: Brandon Connor (MILL) over Noah Bash (F&M) (Dec 3-0)
174: Noah Fox (F&M) over Andrew Vogelbacher (MILL) (TF 18-3 6:14)
184: James Conway (F&M) over Braden Newby (MILL) (Fall 1:41)
197: John Crawford (F&M) over Daniel Pereira (MILL) (Fall 1:58)

UP NEXT
• With the dual schedule completed, Millersville turns its attention to the Super Region 1 Championships at East Stroudsburg on Feb. 25. A top-three finish earns wrestlers a spot at the NCAA Division II Championships. Flannery, Cook and Connor all qualified for nationals in 2022.