HOBOKEN, NJ – The Hunter College wrestling team was defeated by #18 Stevens Institute of Technology, 19-17.
The Hawks led the hard-fought match 18-13 headed into the final bout - a battle that featured two talented grapplers. Ducks' heavyweight Tyler Maher pinned Leon Bodden with just 53 seconds remaining in the bout to seal the come-from-behind match victory.
"The guys went out there and wrestled with a lot of intensity and heart," Hawks Head Coach Michael Simon said after the match. "Going up against a nationally-ranked team in their own gym is a tough task, and we stepped up at every weight class and gave our best effort."
Hunter raced out to an early 9-0 match lead. Kenneth Albert won 8-5 at 125, while Ryan Gerondel used an overtime period to win 5-0 at 133. In the match at 141, Sean Messina won 9-7 over highly-touted freshman Conner Bass, an All-State wrestler from Long Island with over 150 wins in his high school career. Brady Kwong lost 9-1 at 149, cutting the Hawks' lead to five. Matt Cartusciello extended Hunter's lead with a 12-7 victory at 157, but Jesse Capello-Colon was pinned with just 49 seconds remaining at 165 to close Hunter's lead to 12-10.
Stevens took their first lead of the match after Luke Pragdat was defeated 8-2 at 174. Trailing 13-12, Jordan Donahue won 14-9 at 184 to give the Hawks a two-point lead. Musa DeReese extended that lead with a 6-1 victory at 197, setting up the heavyweight showdown. Bodden took the early lead, but the bout was tied at three headed into the second period. He earned one escape for the only point of the second period. Maher took control in the final period, getting an escape, a takedown, and three nearfall points before coming up with the match-winning pin.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, the Hawks took the setback in stride. Simon added, "We look at this match as a step in the right direction for our program, and look forward to building on it."
The Hawks earned six bout wins, but the Ducks' two falls, one major and one decision was enough to claim the match victory. One team point was deducted from Hunter's final score immediately following the match due to unsportsmanlike conduct.
The Hawks host Centenary College this Friday at 3:30pm in the Hunter Sportsplex - their first home match of the 2011-12 season.
Stevens 19, Hunter 17
125 lbs. - Albert (H) def. Geiger (S) by DEC (8-5) (Hunter 3-0)
133 lbs. - Geronal (H) def. Polizzi (S) by DEC (5-0 OT) (Hunter 6-0)
141 lbs. - Messina (H) def. C. Bass (S) by DEC (9-7) (Hunter 9-0)
149 lbs. - Caserta (S) def. Kwong (H) by MAJ DEC (9-1) (Hunter 9-4)
157 lbs. - Cartusciello (H) def. Odell (S) by DEC (12-7) (Hunter 12-4)
165 lbs. - Favia (S) def. Copello-Colon (H) by FALL (6:11) (Hunter 12-10)
174 lbs. - Dormann (S) def. Pragdat (H) by DEC (8-2) (Stevens 13-12)
184 lbs. - Donahue (H) def. Sharkey (S) by DEC (14-9) (Hunter 15-13)
197 lbs. - DeReese (H) def. Moreno (S) by DEC (6-1) (Hunter 18-13)
285 lbs. - Maher (S) def. Bodden (H) by FALL (6:07) (Stevens 19-18)
**Note: Hunter lost one team point immediately following the match due to unsportsmanlike conduct by Head Coach Michael Simmon
