The Boston University wrestling team closed out the month of January this past weekend with a 5-5 record after dropping bookend contests to Drexel University and Rutgers University, while getting decisive back-to-back wins against New York University and Delaware State University on Saturday morning.
The Terriers opened their hectic weekend against Drexel in Philadelphia at the Daskalakis Athletic Center. The Dragons overpowered BU by a score of 29-6, as the Terriers failed to reach double-digits on the scorecard for the third time this season.
Drexel jumped out to an early 11-0 lead, thanks in part to junior Jon Oplinger and senior Chris Cowen, who both managed to outmaneuver BU’s heavyweights in the first two bouts of the night. The heart of the Terriers’ lineup responded, however, taking three of the next four grapples to cut the deficit to 11-9.
Junior Joey Whitaker led BU’s charge, outlasting Drexel junior Billy Martin, 6-5, in the fourth match of the night. Sophomores Carlo Ferrandino and Mike Roberts followed Whitaker’s lead, dominating their competition by a combined score of 16-7.
“Everyone had very good showings,” said BU coach Carl Adams. “But Ferrandino and Roberts were especially strong against a Drexel team that had a big win over Rider and seven returning national qualifiers.”
BU’s momentum was short-lived, however, as Dragon junior Ryan Hluschak defeated sophomore Mike Cubillos in overtime. The match gained praise from Cubillos, though.
“The guy he wrestled against was a former national qualifier and he almost beat him,” Adams said. “He wrestled very well.”
Drexel went on to win the final three bouts of the evening by a count of 29-6.
After Friday evening’s match, the Terriers headed to the Rutgers Quad Meet where BU dominated NYU, 35-10, in the first match of the day.
The duel saw eight of 10 Terriers tally individual wins, three of which came from forfeits. The fifth and sixth matches of the morning showcased powerful performances by Cubillos and freshman C.J. Inglin. Both grapplers won their contests by major decisions and extended BU’s lead to 29-0.
As dominating as the Terriers’ collective performances were against the Violets, BU’s afternoon duel against a depleted Delaware State squad proved to be even more lopsided. The Terriers jumped out to an automatic 18-0 lead by default, as the Hornets forfeited the first three matches.
Roberts was the first Terrier to wrestle, posting a major decision on Andre Bland. Inglin put the contest out of reach in the sixth match of the dual, pinning Ryan Gibbons just four minutes after the starting whistle.
“Inglin had a great weekend,” Adams said. “He might not have had a perfect record, but he wrestled very well. He went up against very experienced competition, a fifth year senior and former national qualifier, and competed.”
The Terriers’ success in New Jersey ended against Delaware State, however, as a powerful and experienced Rutgers team overpowered the Terriers in Sunday’s final match.
The Scarlet Knights walked away with eight individual victories, including three pins, routing the Terriers, 33-9. BU jumped out to a 6-3 lead, backed by efforts from Whitaker and Ferrandino. The two, however, proved to be the only Terrier victors on the day, as the Scarlet Knights all but suffocated BU’s final seven competitors.
“We didn’t wrestle as well against Rutgers as we did Drexel,” Adams said. “I guess we put a lot of emphasis on the Drexel match and had somewhat of a let down against a Rutgers team that we have beaten before.”
The Terriers will play host to Wagner College (Friday, 7 p.m.) and East Stroudsburg University (Sunday, 4 p.m.) this weekend in two head-to-head non-conference duals at the Case Gymnasium.
“Wagner shouldn’t be much of a challenge,” Adams said. “They are going to be missing two guys, and we should be able to handle them. But we will have to focus this week on looking at East Stroudsburg. Both should be good.”