Hempstead, NY –Pride freshmen
Jacob Martin and
Vinny Vespa won the first two matches of the night but the Crimson won the next six matches as Harvard defeated Hofstra, 28-9 in an Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association match at the David S. Mack Physical Education Center Friday night.
Harvard improved to 3-8 on the season and 3-6 in the EIWA while Hofstra slipped to 6-10 overall and 2-6 in conference play.
Martin opened up the match with a 7-1 victory over Connor Sakmar at 125 pounds to improve to 12-20 on the season and 3-5 in the EIWA. Vespa then followed with a hard-fought 4-2 victory over Long Islander Sam Goldman at 133. Vespa boosted his season record to 13-15 on the year and gave the Pride a 6-0 lead in the match.
But Harvard responded with pin at 141 pounds by A.J. Jaffe on Hofstra sophomore
Connor Burkert at the 2:36 mark to tie the match at 6-6. Hunter Ladnier and Colby Knight followed with wins by decision at 149 and 157 for the Crimson to give Harvard a 12-6 lead at the halfway mark.
Harvard's Kyle Bierdumpfel opened the second half of the contest with a 17-3 major decision win over Hofstra graduate-student
Cory Goshkagarian, who was making his season debut, at 165 to boost the lead to 16-6. The Crimson added wins by decision at 174 and 184 as Harvard opened a 22-6 advantage.
But Hofstra sophomore
Nezar Haddad posted a 7-4 decision over Logan Kirby at 197 to improve to 14-11 on the season. Harvard won by forfeit at 285 with Nick Gajdzik getting the victory for the Crimson to seal the 28-9 win.
Hofstra wraps up the 2016-17 regular season on Saturday when the Pride host the Bears of Brown in another EIWA match at the David S. Mack Physical Education Center. Match time is 1 p.m.
Harvard (3-8, 3-6) 28, Hofstra (6-10, 2-6), 9
125:
Jacob Martin (HOFS) dec. Connor Sakmar (HARV), 7-1
133:
Vinny Vespa (HOFS) dec. Samuel Goldman (HARV), 4-2
141: Alexander Jaffe (HARV) WBF
Connor Burkert (HOFS), 2:36
149: Hunter Ladnier (HARV) dec.
Ryan Burkert (HOFS), 4-1
157: Colby Knight (HARV) dec.
Jake Kaminsky (HOFS), 6-2
165: Kyle Bierdumpfel (HARV) maj. dec.
Cory Goshkagarian (HOFS), 17-3
174: Josef Johnson (HARV) dec.
Sage Heller (HOFS), 8-2
184: Kanon Dean (HARV) dec.
Bobby Fehr (HOFS), 9-4
197:
Nezar Haddad (HOFS) dec. Logan Kirby (HARV), 7-4
285: Nick Gajdzik (HARV) win by forfeit
