Takedown Report

Princeton defeats Hofstra 22-19

Hempstead, NY – Hofstra recorded three bonus point victories, including a tech fall by freshman Jamel Hudson, but Princeton tallied four bonus point wins, including a pin by Abe Ayala, as the Tigers posted a 22-19 EIWA victory over the Pride at the Mack Sports Complex Friday night.  Princeton improved to 4-1 overall and 4-1 in the EIWA while Hofstra slipped to 4-5 overall and 2-2 in conference action.  In addition to Hudson’s tech fall at 133, Hofstra received major decision wins by graduate-student Joe Booth at 165, and senior Jamie Franco at 125.  In addition to Ayala’s win by fall, Princeton received a tech fall victory from freshman Jordan Laster at 141 and major decision wins by sophomore Kevin Moylan at 157 and freshman Brett Harner at 184.  In a contest that saw each team win five matches, the decision hung in the balance to the final battle of the evening between Hofstra junior Cody Ruggirello and Princeton sophomore Nick Maselli at 149 pounds. The Pride trailed 22-16 heading into that contest after battling back from a 17-4 deficit after the first five matches. In the 149-pound clash, Ruggirello dominated the match, recording 6:32 worth of riding time, but couldn’t turn Maselli for the contest-tying fall and settled for a 6-0 victory. Ruggirello improved to 16-7 on the year.  In a contest that was expected to be close with Hofstra’s 13th-ranked senior Luke Vaith sidelined with an arm injury, the match lived up to its billing. After Moylan majored Hofstra’s Nick Terdick (7-9), 19-5 at 157 and Hofstra’s Booth (23-5) majored Joshua Ellis, 14-4 at 165, the Tigers won the next three matches to take a commanding 17-4 lead into the intermission. Tiger senior Ryan Callahan topped Hofstra’s Frank Affronti, 9-4 at 174, Harner majored pride freshman Dwight Howes (6-9), 16-7 at 184, and Ayala pinned Zeal McGrew (6-10) to put Princeton up at the break.  But the Pride came back in the second half of the match, winning four of the five bouts beginning with a 5-4 decision by freshman Michael Hughes (10-12) at 285. Franco (16-6) majored junior Jake Intrator at 125, 12-0, and Hudson (13-4) posted a tech fall in 5:44 over junior Ryan Cash at 133 to close the deficit to 17-16.  But Princeton freshman Jordan Laster tallied a 17-2 tech fall victory over Vaith’s replacement, redshirt freshman Alex Mirante (1-5) to boost the Tiger lead to six points before the final match.  Hofstra will return to action on Sunday, January 19 when they travel to Bloomsburg University for a 1 p.m. match.

January 12, 2014 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized