Contact: Matthew Eaker, Sports Information Graduate Assistant,
mreaker@noctrl.edu
RIT Results
Johnson & Wales Results
Castleton Results
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Jan. 6, 2023) - Stepping on the mat for the first time since Dec. 15, the seventh-ranked North Central College men's wrestling team posted a 2-1 record during the first day of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Duals as they defeated Rochester Institution of Technoogy and Castleton University on Friday inside the Kentucky Exposition Center.
The Cardinals squared off with No. 24 Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), who defeated Coe College in the prelims, in the first round. Christian Guzman got the Cardinals on the board first as he defeated John Freebern by a 16-0 technical fall before top-ranked Robert Precin pinned Lee Rubin to give the Cardinals an 11-0 lead. Bradley Rosen kept the Cardinals rolling as he defeated Chris Horton by an 11-2 major decision. Fifth-ranked Javen Estrada picked up a major decision win as he beat Mike Glynnn 9-0. Fourth-ranked Alex Villar defeated James Ost by a narrow 4-3 decision before 14th-ranked Cole Cervantes won a 7-6 nailbiter over Liam Strouse. The Cardinals would drop the next four matches but their early lead helped them take down RIT.
In the quarterfinals, the Cardinals would square off with second-ranked Johnson & Wales University (JWU) for a spot in the semifinals. Top-ranked Joziah Fry would defeat tenth-ranked Julian Valtierrez by a 13-4 major decision in the 125-pound bout to give JWU an early 4-0 lead. Precin's (133) five minutes of riding time and multiple takedowns helped him defeat Christian Rivas by an 18-3 technical fall before Rosen (141) upset eighth-ranked Gabriel Leo-Esparoini by a 12-9 decision to give the Cardinals an 8-4 lead. In the 149-pound match, Hayden Brown, fifth-ranked wrestler in 157, defeated Estrada by an 8-3 decision to cut the Cardinal lead to one but Villar took down William Hughes with a 12-3 major decision to put the Cardinals 12-7. Cervantes put the Cardinals up 18-7 as he threw Scott DeFex to the mat and earned the pin. JWU would win the next three matches, giving them a 19-18 lead heading into the 285-pound match. Robby Bates squared off with sixth-ranked Liridon Leka and kept the match competitive but fell by a 5-4 decision after a late escape by Leka, JWU would win the dual 22-18.
The Cardinals needed a win against No. 25 Castleton University to stay alive in the tournament. In the 125-pound bout, Kaya Bogle would defeat Valtierrez by a 5-2 decision to put Castleton up 3-0 early. Precin (133) once again gave the Cardinals a lead as he pinned Michael Gonyea before Rosen (141) defeated James Rodriguez by a 4-2 decision to put the Cardinals up 9-3. Estrada would tally five more team points in the 149-pound bout as he defeated Nicholas Roeger by a 12-2 major decision. Villar (157) and Cervantes (165) each gave the Cardinals three points as they defeated their opponents by decisions, putting the Cardinals up 20-3. Castleton would take the 174-pound bout but Payton Geigner would defeat Sampson Wilkins by a 6-2 decision in the 184-pound weight class before Rickie Clark (197) won by sudden victory over Haven Taterek. Bates would finish the day in the 285-pound weight class with a 6-4 decision win over Abbas Abdulrahman, giving the Cardinals a 28-6 win.
The seventh-ranked Cardinals will wrestle in the consolation semifinals against fifth-ranked Baldwin Wallace tomorrow morning at 8 am/9 am (EST) inside the Kentucky Exposition Center.
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