RU Wrestling Knocks off Brown, Harvard in Home Opener
Jan 08 | Wrestling
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Jan. 8, 2010) – The Rutgers wrestling team picked up two victories Friday night in its first home event of the season by defeating Brown, 35-8, and Harvard, 46-4, at the College Ave Gymnasium.
The Scarlet Knights (7-4) won 14 of their 20 matches including five pin falls.
Franklin and Marshall (0-4) competed at The Barn Friday night as well as it fell by a 29-15 score to Harvard (2-3) in its first match followed by a 46-4 loss to Brown (1-1).
"We had some good individual matches tonight and it was great to finally compete at home," said Rutgers head coach Scott Goodale. "We were down a few guys, which allowed some other guys to step up. I am pleased with the overall performance and it was about what I expected."
Junior Billy Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J.), redshirt junior David Greenwald (Union, N.J.), redshirt freshman Daniel Rinaldi (Lodi, N.J.), redshirt junior Dominick Russo (Netcong, N.J.) and sophomore Gregory Zannetti (Edison, N.J.) all claimed two wins Friday night.
Ashnault, who is listed at No. 16 in the national rankings, claimed both of his victories by pin fall in a combined time of 5:03. The RU newcomer is 16-5 on the season, including a 10-1 mark in dual action. Ashnault is second on the team in pin falls with nine.
Greenwald pinned Harvard’s Nick Brazeau in a 2:47 time span for his eighth pin of the season. Greenwald blanked Brown’s Phillip Marano in his second match by a 6-0 mark. The redshirt junior is 12-5 this season.
Rinaldi had two dominating victories with a 13-2 major decision against Harvard’s David Lalo and a 17-1 (5:10) technical fall against Brown’s Marcos Aranda. Rinaldi owns a 15-5 record this season.
Russo picked up his EIWA-leading 12th pin of the season against Brown’s Larry Otsuka in a 1:33 time span. Russo won by forfeit against Harvard. The 10th-ranked wrestler is 9-1 in dual action this season.
Zannetti defeated Brown’s Jeff Lemmer by a 7-4 decision and dominated Harvard’s Michael Sadler by a 20-7 major decision to improve to 12-6 on the season.
Redshirt junior Daryl Cocozzo (River Edge, N.J.) won his first dual match as a Scarlet Knight by defeating Brown’s Bryan Tracy 6-1. Cocozzo put up an impressive performance against the nation’s best 157-pounder, Harvard’s J.P. O’Connor, in his next match but fell by a 3-2 score.
Junior Michael Cucinotta (Gibbstown, N.J.) scored the fastest pin of the night and the loudest ovation in his first dual meet of the season when he brought the crowd to their feet by pinning Brown’s Branden Stearns in 1:02.
Rutgers will have a quick turnaround after Friday’s competition as the squad will travel to West Point, N.Y. on Sunday for a quad-meet with Army, Boston University and USMMA.
Rutgers 35, Brown 8
Weight Team Score
141 Stephen DeLorenzo (BU) major dec. Luke Rigoglisio (RU) 15-1 0-4
149 David Greenwald (RU) dec. Philip Marano (BU) 6-0 3-4
157 Daryl Cocozzo (RU)'?dec. Bryan Tracy (BU) 6-1 6-4
165 Gregory Zannetti (RU) dec. Jeff Lemmer (BU) 7-4 9-4
174 Daniel Rinaldi (RU) by tech. fall Marcos Aranda (BU) 17-1 (5:10) 14-4
184 Brän Crudden (BU) major dec. Jesse Boyden (RU) 11-3 14-8
197 Michael Cucinotta (RU) pins Branden Stearns (BU) 1:02 20-8
285 #10 Dominick Russo III (RU) pins Larry Otsuka (BU) 1:33 26-8
125 Vincent Dellefave (RU) dec. Greg Einfrank (BU) 5-4 29-8
133 #16 Bill Ashnault (RU) pins T.J. Popolizio (BU) 4:03 35-8
Rutgers 29, Harvard 14
Weight Team Score
141 Anthony Buxton (HU) major dec. Luke Rigoglisio (RU) 11-0 0-4
149 David Greenwald (RU) pins Nick Brazeau (HU) 2:47 6-4
157 #1 J.P. O'Connor (HU) dec. Daryl Cocozzo (RU) 3-2 6-7
165 Gregory Zannetti (RU) major dec. Michael Sadler (HU) 20-7 10-7
174 Daniel Rinaldi (RU) major dec. David Lalo (HU) 13-2 14-7
184 #10 Louis Caputo (HU) major dec. Michael Cucinotta (RU) 10-1 14-11
197 Jesse Boyden (RU) dec. Sean Murphy (HU) 7-4 17-11
285 #10 Dominick Russo III (RU) WBFF 23-11
125 Steven Keith (HU) dec. Vincent Dellefave (RU) 6-3 23-14
133 #16 Bill Ashnault (RU) pins Fermin Mendez (HU) 1:03 29-14'?
Harvard 35, Franklin and Marshall 21
Weight Team Score
141 Anthony Buxton (HU) pins Matt Murray (F&M) 2:00 6-0
149 Eric Norgard (F&M) pins Spencer Friedman (HU) 4:58 6-6
157 #1 J.P. O'Connor (HU) pins Matthew Gittleman (F&M) 2:30 12-6
165 Anthony Bongarzone (F&M) dec. Michael Sadler (HU) 8-1 12-9
174 Matt Fullowan (F&M) dec. Bryan Panzano (HU) 8-3 12-12
184 #10 Louis Caputo (HU) by tech. fall Matt Latessa (F&M) 16-0 17-12
197 Colin Ely (F&M) dec. Sean Murphy (HU) 5-0 17-15
125 Steven Keith (HU) WBFF 23-15
133 Fermin Mendez (HU)'?WBFF 29-15
285 Double Forfeit 29-15
Brown 46, Franklin and Marshall 4
Weight Team Score
141 Stephen DeLorenzo (BU) by tech. fall Matt Murray (F&M) 17-1 (1:39) 5-0
149 Ricky Bailey (BU) pins Eric Norgard (F&M) 6:57 11-0
157 Bryan Tracy (BU) by tech. fall Matthew Gittleman (F&M) 20-4 (4:02) 16-0
165 Jeff Lemmer (BU) dec. Anthony Bongarzone (F&M) 7-5 19-0
174 Matt Fullowan (F&M) major dec. Jack Roberts (BU) 14-5 19-4
184 Brän Crudden (BU) pins Matt Latessa (F&M) 1:43 25-4
197 Branden Stearns (BU) dec. Colin Ely (F&M) 5-4 28-4
125 Greg Einfrank (BU) WBFF 34-4
133 T.J. Popolizio (BU) WBFF 40-4
285 Larry Otsuka (BU) WBFF 46-4
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