The Hofstra University wrestling team finished 1-2 at the Bucknell Quad on Sunday, Dec. 21. The Pride fell to the University of Virginia (UVA) 29-9 before facing their first two Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) opponents of the season. They shut out Morgan State University 54-0 and fell to Bucknell University 31-7. Hofstra is now 2-7 on the season and 1-1 in conference action while Virigina moved to 8-2, Bucknell to 2-5 and Morgan State to 0-10.

Wrestling at 133 pounds, Gauge Shipp won his first match of the day over Virginia’s Aiden Allen by injury default. He then dominated Morgan State’s Jimmie Jones, winning by technical fall 18-0 from two takedowns and three sets of four near-fall points. Shipp opened his final match against Bucknell’s Bryce Manera with a dominant first period, where he found a takedown early into the match and earned two near-fall points. He got another takedown in the second period and later earned two points from stalling on Manera and a riding time point, winning by major decision 11-0. 

Matthew Waddell and Will Conlon both went 1-2 at 184 and 197 pounds respectively. 

In his win over Virigina’s Griffin Gammell, Waddell started the match strong with a takedown early into the first period. After conceding a takedown in the second period he earned points for a reversal and from stalling on Gammell before fighting for an escape in the third period and a second takedown to win 10-6. Waddell earned a victory by forfeit over Bryce Phillips in Hofstra’s dual against Morgan State. In his last match of the quad, Waddell lost by major decision to Bucknell’s Tyler Bienus 16-3. 

Conlon lost his first match of the day to Virginia’s Steven Burrell Jr. 4-2 before bouncing back in his second match against Morgan State’s Eric Washington Jr., scoring a takedown in the first and second periods. Conlon also scored enough points for a reversal and riding time to beat Washington Jr. by major decision 9-1. Finally, after a scoreless first period against Bucknell’s Mikey Bartush, Conlon started the second period on the bottom, earning an escape and quickly finding a takedown. Bartush responded with two escapes of his own, one that came after starting on the bottom in the third period. The takedown proved to be the difference for Conlon’s 4-2 win. 

Hofstra dominated over Morgan State, with Teague Strobel starting the triumphant streak with a 20-3 win by technical fall against Julian Dawson at 125 pounds. After Shipp’s match, Chase Liardi won his own at 141 pounds by pin over Marwan Nazeer. The next two matches were won by forfeit at 149 and 157 pounds before Jake Slotnick beat Joshua Greenwood by technical fall 19-4 at 165 pounds. Josh Jorgge also earned a win by technical fall 18-3 over Kyle Grey, followed by Waddell and Conlon’s wins, ending with a pin from Adrian Sans over Eli Turpin at 285 pounds. 

Hofstra will face two more EIWA opponents – Binghamton University and Princeton University – at the Journeyman Armbar Duals in Clifton Park, New York, on Jan. 4.