When the Boston University wrestling team faced off against the Drexel University Dragons, the Terriers knew it would be a tough match. The Dragons came into the meet with a 12-1 record overall and a perfect 6-0 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association.
The Terriers record was nothing to scoff at either, 4-2 overall and 2-1 in conference, and in the midst of a three-meet winning streak.
But Saturday, Drexel defeated BU, 22-17.
After a slow start in the first match, BU came back in the second under the strength of senior Ali Abri in the 184-pound weight class.
Abri, who entered the meet with a 21-7 record, outdid his opponent as usual. He had a few solid takedowns to come away with the win and three points for the Terriers.
In the 197-pound weight class, junior Chad Grant gave the Terriers a bit of a scare when he went down briefly with an injury in the third period of his match, but he was able to overcome his pain and finish the match. Unfortunately, Grant was unable to overcome the score, and after the first three matches, the Dragons were winning, 7-3.
Freshman Courtney Howard was next up for the Terriers in the heavyweight class. Howard was able to fend off his opponent’s attempts to pin but was unable to put enough moves together to win the match.
Junior Jose Leon wrestled in the 125-pound weight class, and his performance was one of the best of the night for the Terriers. In the second period, he made a great move from the mat to pin his opponent, previously undefeated Rob Remman, for the win.
The Terrier crowd went wild after Leon’s win, with fans stomping on the ground as they rose to their feet. The decision gave the Terriers a total of 9 points and pulled them within one of the Dragons.
BU had two wrestlers in the 133-pound weight class, with freshman Joey Riveria up first. He made a thrilling move in the third period, but could not garner enough points to win the match.
The second 133-pounder, junior Mark Laramee, out-wrestled his Dragon opponent and was able to end the match after only two periods. Laramee’s win gave the Terriers a 14-13 lead with only two wrestlers left.
In the 149-pound weight class, senior Jason Holder fought through a very close match with Drexel star Matt Kennet. Holder got enough points to win a back-and-forth match and give the Terriers a 17-13 lead going into the final contest.
Sophomore Leighton Brady was the final wrestler of the night for the Terriers in the 157-pound weight class. The tension in the wrestlers’ faces was reflected in the crowd, as the Roof kept going from silence to screaming in a matter of seconds.
Drexel’s Jason Staso took the first two periods with a 3-2 lead, but Brady fought back hard in the third period. With only nine seconds to go, he tied the score at four. As time ran down, however, Staso fought a hold to rise to his feet, earning one more point. Drexel ended up getting 11 points and winning the meet.
BU next faces Boston College on Wednesday in Newton.
This is an account occasionally used by the Daily Free Press editors to post archived posts from previous iterations of the site or otherwise for special circumstance publications. See authorship info on the byline at the top of the page.
