The Hofstra University wrestling team started the new year at the Journeymen Wrestling Armbar Duals on Sunday, Jan. 4, and fell 36-6 to Princeton University and 20-17 to Binghamton University. While only two wrestlers earned wins against Princeton, the Pride were neck and neck against Binghamton in a tough Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) matchup. Hofstra is now 2-2 in EIWA action and 2-9 overall. 

Against the Tigers, Will Conlon fought for a win in sudden victory 9-6 over Princeton’s No. 27 Kole Mulhauser at 197 pounds. Conlon scored a takedown with less than 30 seconds remaining in the third period to stay in the match before scoring again to win in overtime. 

At 157 pounds, Frank Volpe earned the only other win for the Pride in the dual. After a scoreless first and second period against Gavin Hawk, Volpe scored a takedown and four near-fall points in the third period and won 7-3.  

It was a back-and-forth battle between the Pride and the Bearcats. At 125 pounds, Teague Strobel started the dual with a tough match against Carson Wagner. Each wrestler earned a takedown and an escape to push the match to overtime. Wagner secured a takedown there, and ultimately won 7-4. Moving to 133 pounds, Gauge Shipp gave Hofstra the lead by pinning Dillon Arrick. 

Chase Liardi’s match at 141 pounds was another overtime battle. During regulation, he earned an escape point, and his opponent, Ryan Hartung, earned a riding-time point to level the score. Neither wrestler scored in the sudden victory overtime period, moving the match to tiebreaker periods. Hartung started on bottom in the first tiebreaker period and failed to get off bottom, meaning that if Liardi started in bottom in the next period, he would only need to escape and avoid being taken down to win. However, Liardi chose to start in neutral, hoping to find a takedown to win the match, but it was Hartung who earned a takedown of his own and won the match. 

At 149 pounds, Alex Turley put the Pride back in the lead with a 4-3 win over Caleb Sweet, earning all his points in the third period. The Bearcats tied up the team score with Fin Nadeau beating Frank Volpe 5-4 at 157 pounds. The Pride responded quickly at 165 pounds with Jake Slotnick earning a 4-2 win over Marco Albanese. No. 27 Carter Baer provided a necessary bonus win victory for Binghamton, beating Eric Shindel by technical fall 21-5 at 174 pounds. 

Coming down to the last three matches, Matthew Waddell fought for a technical fall victory of his own, also 21-5, over John Baker. Waddell scored six takedowns in the win. Conlon dropped his match to Mikey Squires 7-5 at 197 pounds, tying the team score at 17-17. 

In the final match, Adrian Sans and Trent Sibble had a classic heavyweight showdown; both wrestlers failed to score until Sibble earned an escape in the third period to win the match just 1-0. 

The Pride competed at the Franklin and Marshall Open on Friday, Jan. 9.