The Hofstra University wrestling team was shut out in their second home dual of the season against the University of Wisconsin. They lost 41-0 on Sunday, Dec. 7. The Pride fell to 1-5 on the season while the Badgers improved to a perfect 5-0.
“It’s a tough one,” said head coach Jamie Franco. “We bring teams in like this so that we can see what this level of wrestling takes … We brought Wisconsin in knowing that it would be a real tough dual and that’s kind of a way that we like it; we want to teach these guys and we want [to] show these guys that when you’re competing on the national level, these are the guys you’ll be wrestling against and that’s how you wrestle.”
At 165 pounds, Jake Slotnick provided the Pride with the closest match-up of the day against No. 26 Cody Goebel. Slotnick earned one of two victories for the Pride in their last home dual against Columbia University when he beat then No. 26 Ceasar Alvan. Goebel and Slotnick were evenly matched, with a second period escape being the separator in the 1-0 decision.
Matthew Waddell, Teague Strobel and Frank Volpe all had brief flashes in their respective matches. At 184 pounds, Waddell earned the first take down in his 12-4 major decision loss to Cale Anderson.
“We told [Waddell] just go out and wrestle,” Franco said. “It’s a big thing for [Waddell] right now, it’s been a big flip for [him] of just having fun [and] trying to score points after going up a weight class. So, he’s enjoying it a little bit, and he’ll find some good takedowns, and sometimes he’ll scramble himself into some problems, but right now that’s where we got [Waddell] going, just score points and by the end of the year we’ll tighten him up.”
Against No. 9 Nicolar Rivera, Strobel had a tough test at 125 pounds. The two traded offense on their feet with Strobel having several good looks despite being unable to capitalize. Rivera was extremely tough on top and took control of the match with multiple sets of near fall points, winning by technical fall 16-1.
As for Volpe at 157 pounds, he was down 8-0 against Luke Mechler but continued to fight and scored a takedown in the third period, making the final score 10-3.
Chase Liardi, Jurius Clark and Volpe were the only three members of the Pride to not give up bonus points, losing by decisions. Liardi started the night at 141 pounds, falling to Carson Exferd 5-0. At 174 pounds, Clark lost to Luke Condon 8-1.
Wisconsin’s ranked wrestlers had solid showings with No. 16 Joesph Zargo beating Alex Turley by technical fall 21-5 at 149 pounds, No. 18 Braxton Amos pinning Adrian Sans at 285 pounds and No. 3 Zan Fugitt beating Gauge Shipp by technical fall 16-1.
The Pride hits the road for the next couple of months, starting at the Bucknell Quad on Sunday, Dec. 21.
