In their final dual meet of the season, the Hofstra University wrestling team fell to Drexel University 24-9 on Saturday, Feb. 24. Ross McFarland and No. 18 Keaton Kluever were the only two members of the Pride to win their matches at 174 pounds and 285 pounds, respectively. The Pride ended the season with an 8-6 overall record and an Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) record of 2-2. The Dragons improved to 8-9 overall and 5-4 in EIWA.
After a scoreless first period against Jack Janda, McFarland fought off bottom, hitting a standing granby roll to get an escape in the second period. Janda took bottom in the third to get an escape of his own and move the match into sudden victory overtime. There, Janda took a shot, with McFarland sprawling and getting to a leg. While in a scramble Janda attempted to roll through, but McFarland caught him on his back to earn a takedown and back points, winning the match 8-1.
As for the only other win of the night for the Pride, Kluever made quick work of his opponent Santino Morina. Kluever used a beautiful throw to take Morina to his back and earn a win by pin at 2:56.
The Pride kept it close in the matches they lost, keeping all losses to a decision.
At 141 pounds Alex Turley started the night against Jordan Soriano, where he earned a last-second takedown to keep the match to a close 8-4. Following at 149 pounds, Noah Tapia lost 5-4 after Dom Findora earned a last-second takedown to put himself ahead. At 157 pounds, Jurius Clark was also victim to a loss by a third-period takedown, losing 5-1 to Tyler Williams.
Drexel’s only ranked wrestler, No. 33 Cody Walsh, had a competitive match against true freshman Jake Slotnick at 165 pounds. Walsh got the escape and a takedown in the third period to win 4-0.
At 184 pounds, Will Conlon earned the first takedown of the match against Justin Griffith. However, after two takedowns by Griffith in the third period, Conlon lost 8-6. Nikolas Miller followed with yet another close match, losing once again because of a third-period takedown to make the score 8-6 at 197 pounds.
For the final two matches of the night, Dylan Acevedo-Switzer fell to Desmond Pleasant 5-1 at 125 pounds and Dylan Ryder fell 7-5 after earning the first takedown of the match against John Hildebrandt. Hildebrandt used a front headlock to put Ryder to his back and win the match at 133 pounds.
Drexel currently leads 21-19 all-time against the Pride.
Kluever and McFarland’s wins will help secure seeds for them entering the EIWA championships where they are both anticipated to place based on EIWA rankings. As for the rest of the Pride, the losses will not help with seeding criteria. Drexel has four wrestlers in the EIWA rankings, Hildebrandt, Findora, Williams and Walsh, each of whom the Pride kept close matches against.
The Pride will compete in their final regular season competition on Sunday, Feb. 25, at the National Collegiate Open Championships before heading to the EIWA Championships on March 8.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Alexis Friedman
