The 10th-ranked Pride won seven of 10 matches including four upsets over ranked or higher ranked opponents to record a 23-10 victory over second-ranked Lehigh Sunday night at the Hofstra Arena. The Pride, who posted the biggest victory in the programs' 57-year history, improve to 1-1 on the season while the Mountain Hawks suffered their first loss of the year and fall to 5-1.
Hofstra senior All-American Chris Skretkowicz, ranked fifth by InterMat, defeated top-ranked Jon Trenge in one of the featured matches, recording a 4-3 victory on 2:55 of riding time. But by that time, the match was not in doubt as four unranked Pride wrestlers placed Hofstra in the drivers' seat.
A dreary, dismal and wet morning turned into a sunny and bright late afternoon on Long Island as the Pride jumped out to a 13-3 lead in the match by winning four of the first five matches. Starting at 125 pounds, unranked Hofstra redshirt freshman Dave Tomasette jumped out to a 4-1 lead after one period on the way to a 7-3 victory over Lehigh's unranked sophomore John Stout. Tomasette improved to 6-2 on the year. Pride freshman Charles Griffin, who was named the Colonial Athletic Association's Rookie of the Week last week after posting a 6-0 weekend, recorded an impressive 9-0 major decision over redshirt freshman Jeff Santo at 133 pounds to boost the Hofstra lead to 7-0. Santo fell to 10-2 on the year.
Lehigh got on the board at 141 pounds as fourth-ranked junior Cory Cooperman tallied an 8-2 victory over 13th-ranked Ricky LaForge. But Hofstra bounced back with a 9-2 victory by fifth-ranked Jon Masa over number 19 Matt Anderson that gave the Pride a 10-3 lead in the match. Sophomore James Strouse (pictured), who was unranked, gave the Pride its first upset of the night at 157 pounds with a 6-5 victory over seventh-ranked Derek Zinck on 1:11 of riding time. Strouse, an NCAA qualifier as a freshman, improved to 5-3 on the year.
Lehigh's top-ranked and defending national champion junior Troy Letters improved to 3-0 on the season with a dominating 19-8 major decision over sophomore Chris Vondruska at 165 pounds to close the Mountain Hawk deficit to 13-7. But Hofstra would respond with three straight upsets. At 174 pounds, Hofstra senior Paul Siemon, ranked 14th at 157 pounds and unranked at 174 pounds, stunned sixth-ranked Travis Frick with a takedown in sudden victory, 4-2. Siemon improved to 6-2 while Frick is now 4-2. Leading 16-7, unranked Hofstra freshman Joe Rovelli posted a victory to remember with a 14-4 major decision over 17th-ranked Matt Cassidy. Rovelli's win clinched the match victory for the Pride with a 20-7 lead.
But fifth-ranked Chris Skretkowicz improved to 6-1 on the year with a 4-3 win over two-time NCAA Championships runner-up Jon Trenge. Trenge, who is now 5-1 all-time against Skretkowicz, fell to 5-1 on the season. Lehigh sophomore Paul Weibel closed out the match with a 5-2 victory over Hofstra redshirt freshman Gian Villante
125- Dave Tomasette (HU) decision John Stout (LU) 7-3
133- Charles Griffin (HU) major decision Jeff Santo (LU) 9-0
141- #4 Cory Cooperman (LU) decision #13 Ricky LaForge (HU) 8-2
149- #5 Jon Masa (HU) decision #19 Matt Anderson (LU) 9-2
157-James Strouse (HU) decision #7 Derek Zinck (LU) 6-5
165- #1 Troy Letters (LU) major decision Chris Vondruska (HU) 19-8
174- #14 Paul Siemon (HU) decision #6 Travis Frick (LU) in sudden victory 4-2
184- Joe Rovelli (HU) major decision #17 Matt Cassidy (LU) 14-4
197-#5 Chris Skretkowicz decision #1 Jon Trenge (LU) 4-3
Hwt- Paul Weibel (LU) decision Gian Villante (HU) 5-2
