Rutgers wrestling defeats Maryland in final Big Ten dual
The Rutgers wrestling team finished off its Big Ten dual schedule on a high note, defeating Maryland 31-13 on Saturday afternoon at Jersey Mike’s Arena on Livingston Campus.
The No. 15 Scarlet Knights (14-5, 3-5) won the match split 7-3, with five of those wins earning bonus points. Rutgers finished the day with three tech falls, a major decision and a pin.
At 125 pounds, 28th-ranked freshman Dylan Shawver opened up a 10-0 lead on Tommy Capul after the first period, setting up the first tech fall of the day. The Terrapins (5-12, 0-8) responded at 133 pounds, as King Sandoval pinned freshman Devon Britton in just 59 seconds. Britton was called into the lineup to replace freshman 133-pounder Joseph Olivieri, who picked up an injury during the week.
“We sat Olivieri, just precautionary,” said head coach Scott Goodale after the match. “He wasn't ready to go, and we felt we'd be okay, so that was the reason for that.”
Third-ranked graduate student 141-pounder Sebastian Rivera earned yet another bonus win, getting a tech fall over Danny Bertoni in approximately 6 minutes. It’s the 21st win of the season for Rivera, who has now earned bonus points in 20 matches. Fifteenth-ranked fifth-year 149-pounder Michael VanBrill followed up with a 6-0 decision against Michael North.
“I’m fired up for (VanBrill), it’s a big win. He’s coming down to his last couple duals here.” Goodale said.
The Knights earned two straight bonus wins afterward, as freshman 157-pounder Robert Kanniard defeated Conner Decker in a 13-1 major decision and freshman 149-pounder Andrew Clark won a 16-0 tech fall over Gaven Bell.
“I’m fired up for (Clark), who’s won three in a row,” Goodale said. “Kanniard has wrestled a lot better, so there’s some good things.”
Maryland would respond with back-to-back wins of their own, including an upset at 184 pounds, where 8th-ranked freshman John Poznanski dropped a 9-4 decision to 16th-ranked Kyle Cochran. Freshman 174-pounder Connor O’Neill also dropped a 10-1 major decision to Dominic Solis.
Twelfth-ranked graduate student 197-pounder Greg Bulsak would respond for Rutgers, pinning Chase Mielnik in just over 2 minutes. Sophomore heavyweight Boone McDermott finished the day with a 3-1 decision over Zach Schrader.
This Friday, the in-state rivalry with Princeton is resumed, as the No. 22 Tigers (6-4, 3-2) travel to Piscataway for the first time since 2019.
“We'll get back to the drawing board Monday to prepare for Princeton, which is obviously a big match,” Goodale said.
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