ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College wrestling team secured a 28-18 victory over Wilkes University on Friday night at Lees Gymnasium.

"It's a huge win for the team and a huge win for the program," Head Wrestling Coach Alex Depew said. "I'm ecstatic about how we performed today bottom to top."

The Falcons won six bouts, including three by fall, two by tech fall, and one via forfeit.

First-year Mary Lopes (Barnet, Vt./St. Johnsbury Academy) started the match with a huge win by decision at 103, topping first-year Gabriela Vasquez (San Antonio, Texas), 11-10, to give Cedar Crest an early 3-1 advantage.  

The Colonels got on the scoreboard when first-year Jordyn Suhina (Newville, Pa.) defeated junior Leilani Martinez (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township Senior) by decision at 110, 7-0, to trim the margin to one, 4-3.

The Falcons won the next three bouts to open up the lead.

At 117, first-year Andi Bibeau (Bushkill, Pa./East Stroudsburg North) pinned first-year Grace Riley (Wood Ridge, N.J.) in 32 seconds, first-year Madacyn Snyder (Wind Gap, Pa./Pen Argyl) got by first-year Haylee Robinson (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) via tech fall at 124, and junior Alaina Stanford (Camden, Del./Caesar Rodney) won via fall (1:20) over junior Jamie Henderson (Olyphant, PA) at 131 to increase the Falcons' lead to 17-4.

Wilkes took the bout at 138 when first-year Milly Hughes (Jefferson, Ga.) defeated senior Adriana Dias (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) by fall and hen junior Maddie Stultz (Tobyhanna, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) lost to first-year Alyssa McIntosh (Easton, Pa.) by tech fall at 145 as the score moved to 18-13, still in favor of Cedar Crest.

Sophomore Symarah Drey (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) picked up a win via fall at 160, pinning first-year Kendra O'Brien (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) in 3:32 to give the Falcons five more points, 23-13.

Cedar Crest lost the bout at 180 as junior Janeyda Ortiz (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) was defeated by first-year Kimberlee Hechler (Carlisle, Pa.) via fall and then junior Sarah Seltzer (Shohola, Pa./Delaware Valley) closed out the match with a forfeit win at 207.

In an extra match at 160, it took just 15 seconds for senior Draydon Charman (Vernon, N.J./Vernon Township) to pin first-year Lily Shymanski (Forty Fort, Pa.).

Cedar Crest (6-1 overall) will break for the holidays and will return to the mat on Saturday, January 10 at the Southern Virginia Invitational starting at 10:00 a.m.