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Rutgers Defeats Bloomsburg University in Final Wrestling Match of the Season

BLOOMSBURG—The Bloomsburg University wrestling team fell to Rutgers University, 21-13, Wednesday evening at Nelson Field House. The win put the Scarlet Knights at 10-6. With the loss, the Huskies finished the 2002-03 season with a record of 8-8, 2-5 in the Eastern Wrestling League.

At 165, Ryan Garner jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with a takedown over Rutger's Amir Khan, but Khan answered taking a 5-4 lead in the second period after two escapes and a takedown. Khan kept the lead until the end of the match, winning a 10-6 decision over Garner and giving the Scarlet Knights a 3-0 lead.

At 174, Bloomsburg's Hunter Guenot won his final home match by forfeit, giving the Huskies a 6-3 lead.

In the next match, Rutgers' Rudy Medini took a 2-0 lead at 184 after a takedown over Bloomsburg's Chad Hoare. After a pair of escapes Hoare evened the score at 2-2, but Medini soon regained the lead with a takedown. Medini increased his lead throughout the third period with an escape, a takedown and a reversal to defeat Hoare, 9-3, and tying the match score at 6-6.

At 197, John Foscolo took an early lead on a takedown and two back points over the Huskies' Andy Ludlow. In the second period Ludlow received a point for an escape, but Foscolo returned in the third period with a takedown. After an escape by Ludlow and a point for riding time, the match ended in a 7-2 decision for Foscolo, giving Rutgers a 9-6 advantage.

Frank Sabatino would extend the Scarlet Knights' lead to 12-6 with a 3-1 decision over Pat Spirelli. After a scoreless first period, Spirelli took a 1-0 lead off an escape to start the second. Sabatino tied the score up with an escape to begin the third, but the last two minutes proved to be a stalemate, forcing the match into overtime. In the second overtime Sabatino took the first lead in over four minutes with a reversal to seal the win.

At 125, the Huskies' Michael Collins took immediate control of the match with a takedown seconds into the first period. Shaun Sehar took the lead with an escape and a takedown in the second, but Collins tied the score with an escape to begin the third. After a pair of reversals in the third, Sehar sealed the 9-4 decision and increased Rutger's lead over Bloomsburg, 15-6.

In the 133 bout, Justin Haupt held a 2-1 lead over Justin Smigelsky into the start of the third period after a takedown early in the match. In an intense third period, Smigelsky took a 3-2 lead after a reversal but Haupt managed to escape with ten seconds left. Haupt won on a 4-3 decision with a point for riding time, bringing the Huskies within reach of Rutger's 15-9 lead.

In the 141-pound match, Jonathan Rodriquez took a 3-0 lead after an escape and subsequent reversal in the second period. After a pair of escapes the Huskies' Mark Piermattei shortened Rodriquez's lead to 3-2, but Rodriquez would seal the win with a takedown with 0:30 seconds remaining. Rodruiquez's victory would increase the Scarlet Knight's lead to 18-9.

Rutgers' Greg Austin won a 3-2 decision at 149 to seal the Scarlet Knights' victory. After a scoreless first period, Brad Forbes scored a point on an escape early in the second period to take a 1-0 lead. After Austin took the lead with a takedown in the third, Forbes would tie the score with an escape to send the match into overtime. Austin took the victory after scoring a point with an escape in the second overtime.

In the final bout of the evening George Carter started off strong at 157-pounds, scoring four takedowns in the first period alone. Carter would hold onto his lead throughout the second and third periods to end the match with a 15-6 major decision.

Bloomsburg will return to action March 8th at the EWL Championships at West Virginia.

Results (Match Started with the 165 lb. Weight Class)

February 26, 2003- Bloomsburg vs. Rutgers - Nelson Field House, Bloomsburg, PA

Records: Bloomsburg: 8-8, 2-5 EWL Rutgers: 10-6

Attendance: 300

WTF=Won by Technical Fall; WBF=Won by Fall; F=Forfeit