RU (12-3, 3-2) took nine of 10 matches from Maryland (4-10, 1-6) Friday night in a 30-3 thrashing at the Rutgers Athletic Center. Sean McCabe (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) opened the dual with a major decision and Billy Smith (Wantage, N.J.) scored a dramatic 8-5 tiebreaker win to end the evening.
The Scarlet Knights have won eight consecutive home matches dating back to last season and are undefeated “On the Banks†in 2015-16.
McCabe charged up the crowd from the outset with a gutsy performance in the third period to close out a major decision over Michael Beck. Leading 7-2 entering the final stanza, McCabe took shot after shot for two third-period takedowns in his 13-4 win.
Maryland took the 133-pound bout with a 9-2 win from No. 16 Geoffrey Alexander over No. 18 Anthony Giraldo (Guttenberg, N.J.).
At 141 pounds, the Terrapins' Alfred Bannister made it interesting late against No. 6 Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J.) by notching a takedown with 12 seconds on the clock. But the surge was not enough, as Ashnault climbed to 19-2 overall and 13-1 in dual competition with a 7-5 win.
Strong wins at 149 and 157 pounds put the Scarlet Knights ahead at the break, 13-3.
149-pounder Tyson Dippery (Harrisburg, Pa.) racked up 1:23 of riding time in a 4-0 win, while 157-pounder Richie Lewis (Toms River, N.J.) accrued a 1:03 advantage in a 6-2 decision. Dippery improved to 12-8, with Lewis jumping to 15-3 overall.
No. 8 Anthony Perrotti (Roseland, N.J.) etched another “W†for Rutgers out of the intermission in a 15-0 tech fall against Tyler Manion. The tech fall, Perrotti's third of the season, brings him to 15-2 overall and 13-1 in dual competition.
The dual concluded with four consecutive decisions from 174 pounds to heavyweight. Phillip Bakuckas (Hammonton, N.J.) finished one point shy of a major decision at 174, while Nicholas Gravina (Allendale, N.J.) and Hayden Hrymack (Point Pleasant, N.J.) cruised in convincing decisions at 184 and 197 pounds, respectively.
Last up was Smith, who after eight minutes of action was tied, 5-5, with Dawson Peck. Smith kept Peck on the mat in the first tiebreaker period and in the second 30-second period escaped and got a takedown to seal it.
Smith improves to 18-5 overall.
Rutgers travels to wrestle in-state rival Princeton (2-5, 1-3) at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Jadwin Gym. The Scarlet Knights have won their last 19 matches against the Tigers. The match will stream live on the Ivy League Digital Network.
Results:
125: No. 20/NR/NR Sean McCabe (RU) major dec. over Michael Beck (UMD), 13-4; Rutgers leads, 4-0
133: No. 16/15/8 Geoffrey Alexander (UMD) dec. over No. 18/19/18 Anthony Giraldo (RU, 9-2; Rutgers leads, 4-3
141: No. 6/4/6 Anthony Ashnault (RU) dec. over Alfred Bannister (UMD), 7-5; Rutgers leads, 7-3
149: Tyson Dippery (RU) dec. over Ryan Diehl (UMD), 4-0; Rutgers leads, 10-3
157: No. 17/19/13 Richie Lewis (RU) dec. over No. NR/NR/19 Lou Mascola (UMD), 6-2; Rutgers leads, 13-3
165: No. 8/5/4 Anthony Perrotti (RU) tech fall over Tyler Manion (UMD); 15-0 Rutgers leads, 18-3
174: No. NR/19/NR Phillip Bakuckas (RU) dec. over Derrick Evanovich (UMD), 12-5; Rutgers leads, 21-3
184: Nicholas Gravina (RU) dec. over Jaron Smith (UMD), 9-3; Rutgers leads, 24-3
197: Hayden Hrymack (RU) dec. over Garrett Wesneski (UMD), 7-3; Rutgers leads, 27-3
285: No. 13/15/12 Billy Smith (RU) dec. over Dawson Peck (UMD), 8-5 (TB-1); Rutgers wins, 30-3
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