Hofstra freshman Dylan Ryder continued to impress in the wrestling team’s 21-14 loss to Bloomsburg University on Friday night, Jan. 4, in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.
The Pride (1-3) got off to a roaring start, winning both the 125-pound and 133-pound matches, taking an early 8-0 lead. But Hofstra was unable to overcome the injury bug that has been plaguing them all season as the Huskies mounted a comeback to win their first dual meet of the year.
Ryder got the Pride on the board first with a 20-0 technical fall victory over Bloomsburg’s Willy Girard. Ryder secured two defensive takedowns which both led to back points and gave Hofstra the 5-0 lead.
Trent Olson secured the victory for Hofstra at 133 pounds with a 5-2 decision.
Bloomsburg (1-4) recorded their first team points at 141 pounds where Hofstra’s Garrett Lambert lost by decision.
The 149-pound match was the kicker for the Pride as they had to forfeit at that weight class. Ryan Burkert, the starting 149-pounder for Hofstra, did not travel with the team to Bloomsburg.
Bloomsburg and Hofstra won the next two bouts 157 and 165, respectively. Chris Mauriello was defeated 6-0 in the 157-pound bout but Ricky Stamm countered at 165 pounds with a 4-1 decision.
The team score was 12-11 in favor of Bloomsburg heading into the final four bouts of the evening.
At 174 pounds, it was the freshman Corey Langner making his debut in a Pride singlet, replacing Sage Heller in the lineup. Heller was injured in the Pride’s last match back in December. Langner lost his bout but stayed off his back, preventing the Huskies from picking up any bonus points, which helped to keep the Pride in striking distance with three bouts to go.
Trey Rogers put on a show in the 184-pound bout but came up just short of a crucial win for Hofstra. With 19 seconds on the clock in the third period and a one-point lead, Rodgers was in the top position, needing only to ride out the Bloomsburg wrestler to earn three team points for the Pride.
Rogers could not keep the Husky down and gave up a late takedown with time winding down and those three team points went to Bloomsburg instead, extending their lead to seven with two bouts to go.
Nezar Haddad won a gritty match in sudden victory at 197 pounds to keep the Pride alive and leaving it up to his brother to come up with the four team points to tie the match.
Omar Haddad was unable to complete the tough task ahead of him of not only winning his match but coming up with a few bonus points as well. Omar Haddad lost his match 3-2 and the Huskies earned the victory.
The Pride are now headed to Buffalo to take on the Bulls on Sunday, Jan. 7. Match time is set for 1 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
