RU Wrestling Captures Two Victories at Spartan Duals
Jan 16 | Wrestling
EAST LANSING, Mich. (Jan. 16, 2010) – The Rutgers wrestling team extended its unbeaten streak to eight matches as it defeated Eastern Michigan (30-9), tied Michigan State (16-16) and knocked off Findlay (34-9) Saturday afternoon at the inaugural Spartan Duals in the Jenison Field House.
The Scarlet Knights (12-4-1) claimed 21 of the 30 individual matches, including three pin falls and three major decisions. The eight-match unbeaten streak is the longest for Rutgers since it went the same amount of matches without a loss in late December-early January of the 2000-01 season.
Redshirt junior Dominick Russo (Netcong, N.J.), redshirt freshman Joey Langel (Howell, N.J.), sophomore Trevor Melde (Hewitt, N.J.) and redshirt junior Daryl Cocozzo (River Edge, N.J.) all went 3-0 on the day.
“We had a good day but not a great day and we leave here with a bitter taste in our mouth because of the Michigan State match,” said Rutgers head coach Scott Goodale. “We had a great opportunity but got upset at 197. We had other matches that could have gone better for us so it is disappointing.”
Russo knocked off Eastern Michigan’s David Wade in his first match by a 5-1 decision.
With Rutgers trailing 16-13 against Michigan State, Russo kept Rutgers’ unbeaten streak alive by defeating Alan O’Donnel by a 6-3 score to give Rutgers the 16-16 tie. Russo claimed his 15th pin of the season against Findlay by taking down Matt Clum in a 2:14 time span. The heavyweight has won eight straight matches with four of those victories coming by pin fall.
For the second straight event, Langel gave Rutgers a strong start by claiming convincing victories at 125 in all three matches. Langel picked up a 7-5 decision against Eastern Michigan’s Chris Jenkins. Langel blanked Michigan State’s Brennan Lyon by a 12-0 score in his next match. The redshirt freshman capped off his outstanding day with a technical fall victory over Findlay’s Nick Weisjahn. Langel is currently on a 10-match winning streak.
“Langel has a little less pressure taken off him with the arrival of (Vincet) Dellafave this year and he is on fire right now,” said Goodale. “He is wrestling great right now and is getting us off to great starts and that is important.”
Melde extended his winning streak to six with a 7-5 decision over Eastern Michigan’s Chris Jenkins, a 10-4 victory over Michigan State’s Dan Osterman and a 17-3 major decision against Findlay’s Joshua Falk.
Cocozzo claimed three decisions on the day to improve his win streak to five and his dual record to 6-1.
Rutgers next contest will be in New Jersey when it travels to in-state rival Rider on Jan. 22 for an 8 p.m. match.
Rutgers 30, Eastern Michigan 9
Weight Team Score
125: Joe Langel (RU) dec. Chris Jenkins (EM) 7'?5 3'?0
133: Sean Clair (EM) pins No. 17 Bill Ashnault (RU) 3:56 6'?3
141: Trevor Melde (RU) pins Corey Phillips (EM) 4:34 9'?6
149: Dave Greenwald (RU) dec. David Pienaar (EM) 14'?11 12'?6
157: Daryl Cocozzo (RU) dec. Aaron Sulzer (EM) 5'?0 15'?6
165: Greg Zannetti (RU) pins Justin Brandel (EM) 4:50 21'?6
174: Dan Rinaldi (RU) dec. Nick Hendrick (EM) 3'?2 24'?6
184: Phil Joseph (EM) dec. Jesse Boyden (RU) 7'?5 24'?9
197: No. 19 Lamar Brown (RU) dec. Josh Lewis (EM) 7'?3 27'?9
HWT: No. 9 DJ Russo (RU) dec. David Wade (EM) 5'?1 30'?9
Michigan State 16, Rutgers 16
Weight Team Score
125: Joe Langel (RU) maj. dec. Brennan Lyon (MS) 12'?0 4'?0
133: No. 1 Franklin Gomez (MS) dec. No. 17 Bill Ashnault (RU) 4'?1 4'?3
141: Trevor Melde (RU) dec. Dan Osterman (MS) 10'?4 7'?3
149: David Cheza (MS) maj. dec. Dave Greenwald (RU) 15'?3 Tied, 7'?7
157: Daryl Cocozzo (RU) dec. Anthony Jones, 2'?0 10'?7
165: Kyle Bounds (MS) dec. Greg Zannetti (RU) 5'?2 10'?10
174: Dan Rinaldi (RU) dec. Ian Hinton (MS) 7'?5 13'?10
184: Nick Palmieri (MS) dec. Dan Sedenberg (RU) 3'?2 Tied, 13'?13
197: Tyler Dickenson (MS) dec. No. 19 Lamar Brown (RU) 2'?1 16'?13
HWT: No. 9 DJ Russo (RU) dec. Alan O’Donnel (MS) 6'?3 Match Ends as Tie, 16'?16
Rutgers 34, Findlay 9
Weight Team Score
125: Joe Langel (RU) tech fall Nick Weisjahn (F) 19'?4 5'?0
133: Cullen Isenberg (RU) maj. dec. Jan Ulinski (FU) 12'?1 9'?0
141: Trevor Melde (RU) maj. dec. Joshua Falk (F) 17'?3 13'?0
149: Kellen Brandley (RU) dec. Jeremy Espenoza (F) 5'?1 16'?0
157: Daryl Cocozzo (RU) dec. Michael Lybarger (F) 5'?4 19'?0
165: Matt Rigoglioso (RU) dec. Kris Bowser (F) 5'?3 22'?0
174: Justin Shannon (F) dec. Greg Zanetti (RU) 6'?3 22'?3
184: Jesse Boyden (RU) WBFF 28'?3
197: Dan Stevenson (F)WBFF 28'?9
HWT: No. 9 DJ Russo (RU) pins Matt Clum (F) 2:14 34'?9
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