The Quakers (3-5) got their lone win with a gritty, five-overtime decision from Matt Valenti at 133 lbs.
"We were flat tonight," said Head Coach Zeke Jones. "Rarely do you get through an entire season without a flat night and that was our one for the year. Hofstra was a great team tonight."
The meet started at 184 with No. 7 Joe Rovelli besting No. 13 Lior Zamir to put Hofstra up 3-0. Zamir scored first on a takedown in the first period, but Rovelli escaped and returned the favor to lead 3-2. Zamir went to neutral, but was hit with a penalty near the end of the period. Rovelli chose down to start the second and reversed and rode out Zamir, then took him down to start the third. Zamir picked up a final point on a stalling penalty, but Rovelli had locked up riding time to earn the 9-4 edge.
Penn fell in a 7-0 hole at 197 after Jack Sullivan suffered a 20-8 major decision to No. 11 Chris Weidman. Weidman scored first but Sullivan reversed him and earned two back points, but Weidman took control from there on out, scoring at will with a flurry of late takedowns to earn the major.
Heavyweight saw a slow-going match, with Ben Reiter and Matt Pollock twice receiving double-stalling warnings. After a scoreless first, Pollock produced an escape before the pair earned simultaneous stalling points. Pollock then took down Reiter, who escaped to end the second. Reiter looked to have a chance to win it in the third – after escaping, the sophomore was down a point; he shot in but Pollock worked around him for the decisive takedown.
The Quakers hoped to pull some momentum back at 125, but No. 11 Matt Eveleth ended up being upset by #18 Dave Tomasette in an entertaining 2-0 decision. The pair went scoreless for the first two periods before Tomasette chose down to start the third and reversed Eveleth midway through the period.
The highlight of the night came at 133, where defending national champion Matt Valenti gutted out a five-overtime decision over No. 18 Lou Ruggirello. The score was tied at four after regulation with each scoring a takedown and two escapes. After three scoreless periods, Ruggirello was down to start the fourth overtime and Valenti produced a three-point near-fall. Valenti escaped in the fifth overtime and then scored another takedown to win, 10-4.
But things came unraveled for Penn after that. Brett McCurdy made his season debut and suffered a fall to No. 7 Charles Griffin in 4:45 at 141, before Rick Rappo wrestled up at 149 and fell, 9-3, to Mike Parziale.
No. 14 Matt Dragon couldn't get anything done at 157, either, falling 7-2 to #2 James Strouse. Strouse scored three takedowns and an escape and led the entire way to win.
Zack Shanaman nearly pulled off an upset but came up short to No. 6 Mike Patrovich. The Hofstra 165-pounder scored first on a takedown, but Shanaman escaped. The two went scoreless in the second, and Patrovich escaped to open the third period. Shanaman scored another takedown with a single-leg at the edge of the mat to tie it at 3-3, but Patrovich managed a late escape and had secured riding time for the 5-3 edge.
With the meet already lost, No. 8 Matt Herrington fell victom to No. 17 Alton Lucas, 5-3. Lucas scored an escape and a takedown in the second, then got another takedown in the third for the advantage.
Penn returns home for three meets on Feb. 2 when it meets Brown, Delaware State and Drexel starting at 10 a.m. at The Palestra.
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