Rutgers Wrestling Drops Close Decision to Drexel, 21-17
Feb 17 | Wrestling
PHILADELPHIA, PA - In what has unfortunately become a theme for the season, the Rutgers wrestling team's depleted roster was the difference in a tight battle with a talented Drexel squad, as the Scarlet Knights dropped a 21-17 decision to the Dragons on Thursday at the Daskalakis Athletic Center in Philadelphia. Several young Scarlet Knights captured crucial victories to give Rutgers a 19-17 lead heading into the final bout. However, without a healthy heavyweight on its roster, RU had to forfeit the final match, handing the Dragons six points and the victory. Rutgers falls to 6-7 on the season with the loss, while Drexel improves to 16-8.
'The guys showed a lot of intensity tonight,' said Rutgers head coach John Sacchi. 'We have a young group and they all wrestled hard. I was proud of everyone's effort. If only we could get some more guys healthy, we may have scored the victory.'
Red-shirt junior Ricky Ringel (South Plainfield, NJ) won his eighth match of the season at 125, decisioning Drexel's Dan Stewart, 9-4, in the night's opening match. The Dragons stormed right back, however, as sophomore Dan Hilt (Manalapan, NJ) dropped a 10-5 decision at 133.
Drexel then took a 6-3 lead through three matches after sophomore Steve Adamcsik (Chester, NJ) lost a tough, 5-4 decision at 141 to Ed Giosa.
Rutgers rebounded to take a 17-9 lead with victories in three of the next four matches. Sophomore Mike Ferrara (Effort, PA) got things started for the Scarlet Knights at 149 as Drexel's Bill Heverly was unable to finish the match due to injury, surrendering six points to RU. Red-shirt sophomore 157-pounder Gene Zannetti (Edison, NJ) then posted his team-best fourth technical fall of the season with a 21-5 victory over Ryan Hluschak in 6:40.
Red-shirt freshman Joe Sacco (Johnson City, NY) came out on the short end of a 3-1 decision overtime against Drexel's Billy Haydt at 165, but senior 174-pounder Andy Roy (Wall, NJ) moved the Scarlet Knights' lead back up to eight (17-9) with a 5-3 decision over Nick Kozar. Roy, ranked fifth nationally, needs a victory in RU's final dual match of the season against Army next Thursday to complete his second-consecutive perfect dual season. With the victory against Drexel, he is now 11-0 in dual competition with an 18-2 overall record. He also moved into sole possession of 12th place on the Rutgers all-time wins list tonight with 95 career victories. He entered the night tied with Rick Romero (1998-01).
RU was unable to hold onto its lead, however. With senior 184-pound regular starter Chris Ressa (Andover, NJ) sidelined with an injury, red-shirt freshman Ken Stiles (Little Falls, NY) competed in his fifth dual match of the season. Stiles dropped an 8-2 decision to Drexel's Carl Schmidt.
Jon Oplinger of the Dragons followed with an 11-6 decision at 197 over senior John Foscolo (South Plainfield, NJ), who has been battling an injury all season, to pull Drexel within two points and secure a victory after the Scarlet Knights were forced to forfeit the heavyweight match.
Rutgers will return to action a week from tonight, hosting Army in the dual-season finale on Senior Night at the College Avenue Gymnasium next Thursday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.
Drexel 21, Rutgers 17
125- Ricky Ringel (RU) dec. Dan Stewart (DU), 9-4
133- Zach Makovsky (DU) dec. Dan Hilt (RU), 10-5
141- Ed Giosa (DU) dec. Steve Admacsik (RU), 5-4
149- Mike Ferrara (RU) def.(inj) Bill Heverly (DU)
157- Gene Zannetti (RU) tech. fall Ryan Hluschak (DU), 21-5
165- Billy Haydt (DU) dec. Joe Sacco (RU), 3-1
174- Andy Roy (RU) dec. Nick Kozar (DU), 5-3
184- Carl Schmidt (DU) dec. Ken Stiles (RU), 8-2
197- Jon Oplinger (DU) dec. John Foscolo (RU), 11-6
HWT- Chris Cowen (DU) won by forfeit
