The Hofstra wrestling team earned split results between their two Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) duals on Saturday, Feb. 11. The Pride lost to Harvard University 11-25 before defeating Sacred Heart University 43-6.
Just three members of the Pride won their matches against Harvard: Chase Liardi, No. 26 Jacob Ferreira and No. 29 Trey Rogers, all of whom also won matches later against Sacred Heart.
At 133 pounds, Liardi took on Dante Frinzi first, narrowly winning the match 3-1. Next, he made quick work of Ben Davoli, pinning the Pioneer in just 37 seconds with a near-side cradle.
Moving up to 184 pounds, Ferreira had a close match with Leo Tarantino, winning 4-3 with a riding time point. This is Ferreira’s third win over Tarantino, beating him earlier in the season at the Journeymen Classic and at the Las Vegas Invitational. Later he faced Owen Ayotte and earned the Pride another quick win, pinning Ayotte at 1:49 after a takedown.
At 197 pounds Rogers extended his winning streak to 9 consecutive matches and remained undefeated in dual meets. Rogers made easy work of both his opponents, beating Michael Doggett first with a 19-3 technical fall. He later won by pin over Logan Michael at 2:58 toward the end of the first period, using a barbed wire to get Michael to his back before adjusting to secure the fall.
Other members of the Pride also had big wins over Sacred Heart. At 141 pounds Justin Hoyle took on Dakota Asuncion. The Pioneer pushed the action early on, earning a takedown from an inside trip with Hoyle escaping quickly. Following that, Hoyle went for a lateral drop but ended up on his back briefly before working to get back on top where he pinned Asuncion at 1:34.
At 157 pounds, Michael Leandrou earned his first EIWA win and first win by technical fall this season, against Chris Naegele. Winning 17-0, Leandrou earned 12 near-fall points in total. Also getting his first win by technical fall this season, Ross McFarland beat Ryan Bolletino 20-3 at 174 pounds. McFarland had a close match earlier in the day against Harvard’s No. 21 Philip Conigliaro, losing just 4-6. McFarland was in on a shot and working but came up just short as the buzzer sounded at the end of the match.
Zachary Knighton-Ward ended the day at 285 pounds with a win by injury default over Marc Berisha. Knighton-Ward took on Harvard’s No. 8 Yaraslau Slavikouski earlier in the day, losing 6-1.
And at 125 pounds, Jacob Moon started the day with a tough loss by technical fall 17-0 against No. 20 Diego Sotelo but later won his match against Mike Manta 10-3, with the Pride’s only regular decision win against Sacred Heart.
The Pride is now 4-6 overall in duals this season and 2-6 in EIWA competition. Hofstra remained undefeated against Sacred Heart and is now 14-0 all-time and 10-10-1 all-time against Harvard. The 43 points scored against Sacred Heart is the most the team has earned since scoring 45 against Franklin and Marshall College in 2020.
The Pride’s final dual meet of the season will be at home at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, against California Baptist University.
 Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
