Hempstead, NY – Senior Luke Vaith recorded a tech fall victory and three other Pride wrestlers posted major decisions to lead Hofstra to a 29-9 EIWA victory over the Drexel Dragons at the Mack Sports Complex Friday night.

The Pride won eight of the 10 matches to improve to 5-6 on the season and 3-2 in the EIWA. Drexel slipped to 4-12 overall and 0-3 in conference action.

Drexel's struggles began before they hit the mat as their bus trip from Philadelphia to Long Island took almost five hours, which caused the starting time of the match to be pushed back 30 minutes. It didn't get better when the match started at 125 pounds as Hofstra captured the first four contests to take a 16-0 lead. 18th-ranked senior Jamie Franco (18-6) opened with a 9-0 major decision over Tanner Shoap at 125. 20th-ranked red-shirt freshman Jamel Hudson (15-4) followed with a 10-2 major over Kevin Devoy at 133 for an 8-0 lead. 10th-ranked senior Luke Vaith (21-4) then posted his fourth tech fall of the season on David Pearce at 141 before junior Cody Ruggirello (18-8) tallied a 3-0 victory over Matt Cimato at 149.

Drexel posted one of its two wins at 157 as Austin Sommer edged red-shirt freshman Jahlani Callender (12-7), 5-3 to cut the deficit to 16-3.

But the Pride won the next three matches as 14th-ranked graduate-student Joe Booth (25-5) majored Jason Fugiel, 12-4 at 165, red-shirt freshman Frank Affronti (9-12) topped Kevin Matyas, 6-4 with a takedown 30 seconds into sudden victory at 174 and sophomore Victor Pozsonyi (4-12) topped Alex DiCiantis, 4-2 at 184.

Drexel's ninth-ranked senior Brandon Palik continued his winning ways with a pin of Hofstra junior Zeal McGrew in 1:48 at 197 pounds. But Hofstra freshman Michael Hughes closed out the match with an 8-1 win over Joe Giorgio at 285.

The Pride will now be off from competition for two weeks before returning on Friday, February 7 when they host the Bearcats of Binghamton in an EIWA match at the Mack Sports Complex. Match time for the Senior Night contest is 7 p.m.

Hofstra 29, Drexel 9
125     Jamie Franco (HU) maj. dec. Tanner Shoap (DU) 9-0.    
133     Jamel Hudson (HU) maj. dec. Kevin Devoy (DU) 10-2.    
141     Luke Vaith (HU) tech fall David Pearce (DU) 7:00 20-5.    
149     Cody Ruggirello (HU) dec. Matt Cimato (DU) 3-0.    
157     Austin Sommer (DU) dec. Jahlani Callender (HU) 5-3.    
165     Joe Booth (HU) maj. dec. Jason Fugiel (DU) 12-4.    
174     Frank Affronti (HU) dec. Kevin Matyas (DU) 6-4. in SV    
184     Victor Pozsonyi (HU) dec. Alexander DeCiantis (DU) 4-2.
197     Brandon Palik (DU) WBF Zeal McGrew (HU) 1:48.    
285     Michael Hughes (HU) dec. Joseph Giorgio (DU) 8-1.