Ithaca, NY - The Hofstra wrestling team went to frigid upstate New York Saturday and received a frosty greeting as their hosts Binghamton (28-8) and Cornell (37-6) cruised to easy victories over the Pride.
In the first match of the day at CAA-foe Binghamton (12-6-1), freshman Luke Vaith, sophomore P.J. Gillespie and senior Anthony Tortora recorded Hofstra decisions but the Bearcats captured the rest including a fall and two tech falls for a 28-8 victory. The Pride loss snapped a nine-match winning streak over Binghamton and was just the third conference loss that Hofstra has suffered in its last 71 league dual matches (67-3-1).
In the opening match featuring freshmen at 125 pounds, Binghamton's James Inghram (5-4) defeated Jamie Franco (4-11), 3-1. Pride freshman Luke Vaith (14-14) tied the match at 3-3 with a 9-8 decision over junior Tyler Malmberg (3-5). But the Bearcats won the next three matches to build a 14-3 advantage. At 141 pounds, junior Anwar Goeres (28-6), who is ranked first in the CAA, defeated junior Jeff Rotella (3-16), 5-2. At 149, Binghamton red-shirt freshman Donnie Vinson (27-10) recorded a 23-5 tech fall in 4:36 over Pride red-shirt freshman Ryan Colmer (0-3). At 157 pounds, Bearcat sophomore Justin Lister (21-6), ranked third in the CAA, upset Hofstra's 16th-ranked senior and the CAA's best in the weight class, Jonny Bonilla-Bowman (12-4), 10-8, snapping the Pride wrestler's six-match winning streak.
Hofstra sophomore P.J. Gillespie (26-10), ranked second in the CAA and 17th in the nation, edged sophomore Matt Kaylor (27-15), 6-4, in sudden victory to cut the deficit to 14-6. But the Bearcats picked up bonus point wins in their next two matches as senior Josh Patterson (18-5), ranked first in the CAA and 13th in the country at 174 pounds, posted a 17-0 tech fall in 4:29 over senior Jon Rothman (2-13) and red-shirt freshman Nate Schiedel (21-6), ranked fourth in the CAA at 184 pounds, recorded an upset pin of the CAA's top-seeded Ben Clymer (20-5) in 3:09 for a 25-6 lead in the contest. It was Clymer's first loss by fall in 58 college matches and his first dual match loss (14-1) of the year.
Pride senior Anthony Tortora (8-15) decisioned red-shirt freshman Patt Walsh (2-2) at 197 pounds, 3-1 before Binghamton senior Corey Waite (29-13), ranked third in the CAA at 285 pounds, defeated red-shirt freshman Paul Snyder (9-11), who was making his first start since suffering a knee injury 17 days ago, 3-1. Hofstra fell to 5-9-2 overall and 3-2 in CAA matches.
At Cornell, the Pride (5-10-2) was dominated by the seventh-ranked Big Red (5-4-1). Only a Bonilla-Bowman win by injury default at 157 pounds prevented a Cornell shutout victory. The Big Red, which has six nationally-ranked wrestlers including two number one ranked wrestlers and a number two, posted two wins by fall, two by major decision, one tech fall and four decisions in the contest.
The most exciting match of the contest was at 165 pounds where Hofstra's 17th-ranked sophomore P.J. Gillespie squared off against unranked junior Justin Kerber. After a scoreless first period, each wrestler recorded escapes in the ensuing periods, Gillespie in the second and Kerber in the third, to send the match into sudden victory. Hofstra's Long Beach, New York native, who was wrestling in his second straight sudden victory match, wouldn't be as lucky in this one as Kerber recorded a takedown with 30 seconds remaining for the 3-1 decision.
The Pride will return to action on Wednesday, February 10 when they travel to Lawrenceville, New Jersey for a CAA match against Rider University. Match time is 7 p.m.
Binghamton 28, Hofstra 8
125: James Inghram (BU) dec. Jamie Franco (HU), 3-1
133: Luke Vaith (HU) dec. Tyler Malmberg (BU), 9-8
141: Anwar Goeres (BU) dec. Jeff Rotella (HU), 5-2
149: Donnie Vinson (BU) tech fall Ryan Colmer (HU), 23-5, 4:36
157: Justin Lister (BU) dec. #16 Jonny Bonilla-Bowman (HU), 10-8
165: #17 P.J. Gillespie (HU) dec. Matt Kaylor (BU), 6-4 SV
174: #13 Josh Patterson (BU) tech fall Jon Rothman (HU), 17-0, 4:29
184: Nate Schiedel (BU) WBF Ben Clymer (HU), 3:09
197: Anthony Tortora (HU) dec. Pat Walsh (BU), 3-1
285: Corey Waite (BU) dec. Paul Snyder (HU), 3-1
Hofstra penalized one team point
#7 Cornell 37, Hofstra 6
125: #2 Troy Nickerson (Cornell) dec. Jamie Franco (Hofstra), 6-0
133: #11 Mike Grey (Cornell) maj. dec. Luke Vaith (Hofstra), 18-7
141: #1 Kyle Dake (Cornell) tech fall Tyler Banks (Hofstra), 15-0
149: Corey Manson (Cornell) maj. dec. Ryan Colmer (Hofstra), 14-5
157: #16 Jonny Bonilla-Bowman (Hofstra) inj def. John Basting (Cornell), 1:39
165: Justin Kerber (Cornell) dec. #17 PJ Gillespie (Hofstra), 3-1 SV
174: #1 Mack Lewnes (Cornell) WBF Jon Rothman (Hofstra), 1:01
184: #17 Steve Bosak (Cornell) dec. Ben Clymer (Hofstra), 4-1
197: #5 Cam Simaz (Cornell) WBF Anthony Tortora (Hofstra), 6:47
HWT: Josh Arnone (Cornell) dec. Paul Snyder (Hofstra), 6-0
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