Sunday, November 29
Madison Square Garden - New York, N.Y.
10:00 a.m.
Drexel University
21
vs
20
Northwestern
Photo by: Greg Carroccio
Wrestling Defeats No. 20 Northwestern, Falls to No. 12 Illinois at Grapple at the Garden
11/29/2015 2:00:00 PM | Wrestling
NEW YORK, N.Y. - The Drexel wrestling team earned its first win over a nationally ranked team this season as it defeated No. 20 Northwestern by criteria, 21-20. Matthew Cimato was awarded Outstanding Wrestler honors after he defeated both the top-ranked 149 pounder in the country in Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern and No. 19 Kyle Langenderfer of Illinois. Drexel edged the Wildcats in its first dual of the day at the fourth-annual Grapple at the Garden before losing its second matchup to No. 12 Illinois by a margin of 31-9.
With his wins, Cimato improved his individual record to a team-leading 16-2. The redshirt junior has five technical falls, three major decisions and one pin thus far on the season and is a perfect 7-0 in dual meet competition.
Zack Fuentes got things started off for the Dragons against Northwestern with a 4-3 decision over Garrison White. In the 133 match, the Wildcats tied things up as Dominick Malone defeated David Pearce, 10-3. Then at 141, Northwestern's Jameson Oster earned a pin over Kevin Devoy Jr. to put the Wildcats ahead, 9-3.
Cimato, who was ranked 15th in the nation coming into Sunday's competition, upset the top-ranked Tsirtsis who was the NCAA Champion at 149 pounds two years ago. Cimato earned a 7-1 victory over the two-time All-American to cut Northwestern's lead to 9-6. The Wildcats would pull away again, though, as they won the next three consecutive matches to go ahead, 20-6 with only three matches remaining.
The Dragons, however, began to stage a comeback as Stephen Loiseau earned a technical fall over Regis Durbin at 184. Nezar Haddad won by forfeit at 197 to bring Drexel within three points again, 20-17, which left it up to Joey Goodhart to tie things up in the heavyweight match. Goodhart went on to win by a 4-1 decision to knot the team score up at 20-20 and Drexel ultimately was awarded the victory, winning by the third criteria as they outscored the Wildcats in bout points, 46-44.
In the Dragons' second dual of the day, Fuentes again started Drexel off with a win in the 125 match but then Illinois' No. 11 Zane Richards earned a major decision over David Pearce at 133 to put the Fighting Illini ahead, 4-3. A technical fall from Brock Ervin at 141 increased Illinois' lead to 9-3, but then Cimato's second win of the day cut the Fighting Illini's lead to just three points.
Illinois would begin to pull away starting with the 157 match, in which the top-ranked Isaiah Martinez defeated Michael Comunale by fall and then added to its lead at 165 as No. 16 Steven Rodrigues earned a major decision over Austin Rose. Nick Elmer added to Drexel's points with a 7-3 win over Emory Parker at 174, but then an injury default from Loiseau at 184 would halt any chance Drexel had of staging another comeback. Illinois earned decisions in the final two matches to secure a 31-9 victory.
The Dragons, who move to 3-4 in dual meets, return to action on Dec. 5 when they will travel to College Park to face Maryland at 5 p.m. in Drexel's final competition of the 2015 calendar year.
Drexel 21, No. 20 Northwestern 20 (Win by criteria*)
125: Zack Fuentes (DU) DEC Garrison White (Northwestern), 4-3
133: Dominick Malone (Northwestern) DEC No. 20 David Pearce (DU), 10-3
141: Jameson Oster (Northwestern) WBF Kevin Devoy Jr. (DU) @ 2:53
149: No. 15 Matthew Cimato (DU) DEC No. 1 Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern), 7-1
157: Bryce Brill (Northwestern) TF Richard Viruet (DU), 18-2
165: Luke Norland (Northwestern) DEC Austin Rose (DU), 8-6 (SV-1)
174: Mitch Sliga (Northwestern) DEC Nick Elmer (DU), 3-1 (SV-1)
184: Stephen Loiseau (DU) TF Regis Durbin (Northwestern), 19-0
197: Nezar Haddad (DU) won by forfeit
285: Joey Goodhart (DU) DEC Conan Jennings (Northwestern), 4-1
*Drexel's team score was adjusted by one point for Most Bout Points
No. 12 Illinois 31, Drexel 9
125: Zack Fuentes (DU) DEC Francis Edelen (Illinois), 6-0
133: No. 11 Zane Richards (Illinois) MAJ No. 20 David Pearce (DU), 15-6
141: Brock Ervin (Illinois) TF Anthony Canfora (DU), 17-0
149: No. 15 Matthew Cimato (DU) DEC No. 19 Kyle Langenderfer (Illinois), 3-2
157: No. 1 Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) WBF Mike Comunale (DU) @ 1:49
165: No. 16 Steven Rodrigues (Illinois) MAJ Austin Rose (DU), 17-4
174: Nick Elmer (DU) DEC Emory Parker (Illinois), 7-3
184: Jeffrey Kopeke (Illinois) def. Stephen Loiseau (DU) by injury default @ 4:11
197: Andre Lee (Illinois) DEC Nezar Haddad (DU), 4-1
285: No. 11 Brooks Black (Illinois) DEC Joey Goodhart (DU), 6-1
With his wins, Cimato improved his individual record to a team-leading 16-2. The redshirt junior has five technical falls, three major decisions and one pin thus far on the season and is a perfect 7-0 in dual meet competition.
Zack Fuentes got things started off for the Dragons against Northwestern with a 4-3 decision over Garrison White. In the 133 match, the Wildcats tied things up as Dominick Malone defeated David Pearce, 10-3. Then at 141, Northwestern's Jameson Oster earned a pin over Kevin Devoy Jr. to put the Wildcats ahead, 9-3.
Cimato, who was ranked 15th in the nation coming into Sunday's competition, upset the top-ranked Tsirtsis who was the NCAA Champion at 149 pounds two years ago. Cimato earned a 7-1 victory over the two-time All-American to cut Northwestern's lead to 9-6. The Wildcats would pull away again, though, as they won the next three consecutive matches to go ahead, 20-6 with only three matches remaining.
The Dragons, however, began to stage a comeback as Stephen Loiseau earned a technical fall over Regis Durbin at 184. Nezar Haddad won by forfeit at 197 to bring Drexel within three points again, 20-17, which left it up to Joey Goodhart to tie things up in the heavyweight match. Goodhart went on to win by a 4-1 decision to knot the team score up at 20-20 and Drexel ultimately was awarded the victory, winning by the third criteria as they outscored the Wildcats in bout points, 46-44.
In the Dragons' second dual of the day, Fuentes again started Drexel off with a win in the 125 match but then Illinois' No. 11 Zane Richards earned a major decision over David Pearce at 133 to put the Fighting Illini ahead, 4-3. A technical fall from Brock Ervin at 141 increased Illinois' lead to 9-3, but then Cimato's second win of the day cut the Fighting Illini's lead to just three points.
Illinois would begin to pull away starting with the 157 match, in which the top-ranked Isaiah Martinez defeated Michael Comunale by fall and then added to its lead at 165 as No. 16 Steven Rodrigues earned a major decision over Austin Rose. Nick Elmer added to Drexel's points with a 7-3 win over Emory Parker at 174, but then an injury default from Loiseau at 184 would halt any chance Drexel had of staging another comeback. Illinois earned decisions in the final two matches to secure a 31-9 victory.
The Dragons, who move to 3-4 in dual meets, return to action on Dec. 5 when they will travel to College Park to face Maryland at 5 p.m. in Drexel's final competition of the 2015 calendar year.
Drexel 21, No. 20 Northwestern 20 (Win by criteria*)
125: Zack Fuentes (DU) DEC Garrison White (Northwestern), 4-3
133: Dominick Malone (Northwestern) DEC No. 20 David Pearce (DU), 10-3
141: Jameson Oster (Northwestern) WBF Kevin Devoy Jr. (DU) @ 2:53
149: No. 15 Matthew Cimato (DU) DEC No. 1 Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern), 7-1
157: Bryce Brill (Northwestern) TF Richard Viruet (DU), 18-2
165: Luke Norland (Northwestern) DEC Austin Rose (DU), 8-6 (SV-1)
174: Mitch Sliga (Northwestern) DEC Nick Elmer (DU), 3-1 (SV-1)
184: Stephen Loiseau (DU) TF Regis Durbin (Northwestern), 19-0
197: Nezar Haddad (DU) won by forfeit
285: Joey Goodhart (DU) DEC Conan Jennings (Northwestern), 4-1
*Drexel's team score was adjusted by one point for Most Bout Points
No. 12 Illinois 31, Drexel 9
125: Zack Fuentes (DU) DEC Francis Edelen (Illinois), 6-0
133: No. 11 Zane Richards (Illinois) MAJ No. 20 David Pearce (DU), 15-6
141: Brock Ervin (Illinois) TF Anthony Canfora (DU), 17-0
149: No. 15 Matthew Cimato (DU) DEC No. 19 Kyle Langenderfer (Illinois), 3-2
157: No. 1 Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) WBF Mike Comunale (DU) @ 1:49
165: No. 16 Steven Rodrigues (Illinois) MAJ Austin Rose (DU), 17-4
174: Nick Elmer (DU) DEC Emory Parker (Illinois), 7-3
184: Jeffrey Kopeke (Illinois) def. Stephen Loiseau (DU) by injury default @ 4:11
197: Andre Lee (Illinois) DEC Nezar Haddad (DU), 4-1
285: No. 11 Brooks Black (Illinois) DEC Joey Goodhart (DU), 6-1
Players Mentioned
141/149
/ Wrestling
149
/ Wrestling
157
/ Wrestling
141
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
125
/ Wrestling
285
/ Wrestling
197/285
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
133
/ Wrestling
165
/ Wrestling
157/165
/ WrestlingDrexel's Autocomplete With Wrestling Coach Matt Azevedo
Wednesday, March 05
Drexel Athletics Happy Holidays 2023
Thursday, December 21
Game Plans: Matt Azevedo - Presented by The Study
Monday, October 24
Pennsylvania Regional Training Center
Friday, October 25
