Rutgers Wrestling Edged By Drexel, 20-16
Feb 18 | Wrestling
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Rutgers wrestling team had its three-match winning streak snapped and fell for just the second time in 11 dual meets with a 20-16 loss to Drexel Wednesday evening inside the Daskalaskis Athletic Center.
The Scarlet Knights and Dragons split the 10 bouts but Drexel earned bonus points in several matches to escape with the narrow victory. RU moved to 20-6 on the season, while Drexel improved to 10-14-1and extended its dual meet winning streak to four.
RU earned the first three points of the match thanks to Matt Fusco’s (Belleville, N.J.) 10-6 decision over Michael Gomez at 125 pounds. Drexel’s Frank Cimato, however, erased that lead and put the Dragons up by three points with a pin of Michael Demarco (Lyndhurst, N.J.) in 2:46 at 133 pounds.
Freshman Trevor Melde (Hewitt, N.J.), who joined the national rankings at No. 27 last week at 141 pounds, continued his strong competition with an 11-2 major decision to give RU a one-point edge in the see-saw battle.
Junior Kellen Bradley (Newton, N.J.) extended the Scarlet Knights’ lead to four points with a 5-0 decision at 149 pounds.
RU’s Paul Grogan (Netcong, N.J.), who replaced nationally-ranked Scarlet Knight Scott Winston (Jackson, N.J.) at 157 pounds, was defeated by Drexel’s Billy Haydt by a 16-5 major decision to tie the match back up through five bouts.
Rutgers and Drexel traded wins at 165 and 174 pounds with RU’s Matt Pletcher (Eastampton, N.J.), ranked No. 28 nationally, posting a 7-2 decision at 174 pounds for his 73rd career victory.
Tied at 13, Drexel’s Justin Wieller earned a 14-6 major decision against Rutgers’ McPaul Ogbanna (East Hanover, N.J.) at 184 pounds to pull four points ahead and Jon Oplinger, ranked 13th nationally, sealed it for the Dragons with a 13-6 decision over Karim Mahmoud (Wallington, N.J.) at 197 pounds.
Russo continued to impress with a 6-2 decision at heavyweight, but it wasn’t enough as the Dragons posted the four-point victory.
Rutgers returns to action Friday with a visit to Bloomsburg, Pa. to face the Huskies at 7:30 p.m. in the final dual meet of the season.
Drexel 20, Rutgers 16
125 – Matt Fusco (RU) dec. Michael Gomez (D), 10-6
133 – Frank Cimato (D) wbf. Michael Demarco (RU), 2:46
141 – Trevor Melde (RU) maj. dec. Matt Dugan (D), 11-2
149 – Kellen Bradley (RU) dec. Robert Robinson (D), 5-0
157 – Billy Haydt (D) maj. dec. Paul Grogan (RU), 16-5
165 – Matt Pletcher (RU) dec. Dan Konno (D), 7-2
174 – Dave Woodall (D) dec. Mike Whalen (RU), 4-3
184 – Justin Wieller (D) maj. dec. McPaul Ogbonna (RU), 14-6
197 – Jon Oplinger (D) dec. Karim Mahmoud (RU), 13-6
285 – D.J. Russo (RU) dec. Kyle Frey (D), 6-2
