The Boston University wrestling team, two weeks removed from a disappointing performance at the Keystone Classic at the University of Pennsylvania, added another tournament to its growing list of missed opportunities. This time however, the Terriers’ struggles came 200 miles east of the Palestra Sports Complex, at Pennsylvania State College’s Rec Hall.
The Rec Hall played host to 600 wrestlers Sunday afternoon as more than 40 collegiate wrestling teams from across the nation flooded University Park.
Fourteen members of the Terrier squad traveled to the tournament. The group, led by co-captains Mike Roberts and Joe Whitaker, struggled to gain any ground on opposing grapplers, dropping a total of 19 individual matches.
“No one really could get anything done,” said Orey Hall. “We are a young team, only having one senior and one junior. We all have talent, it just a matter of wrestling to our potential. No one on our team has lost to anyone simply because they were less talented.”
Roberts, the only Terrier to place in his weight class, was the lone bright spot for the team. In his second match of the day, the sophomore recorded a decisive pin 1:28 into the second period on University of Pittsburgh grappler Brian Petrakis. The win placed Roberts eighth out of 60 competitors in the 149-pound weight class and improved his record to 4-3 for the tournament.
Hall went on to say that most of the Terriers’ struggles stemmed not from physical conditioning, but from mental blocks.
Roberts supported his teammate’s statement.
“[The Open] was our first real tournament of the year,” Roberts said. “Yes, we had competed in the Division III tournament in New Jersey and last week at the University of Pennsylvania, but this weekend was really our first shot coming in knowing how to compete. We just made mistakes.
“The pin felt really good. It was my first one of the year,” Roberts continued. “I guess it was only a matter of time. I’ve been recovering from a facial injury suffered three weeks ago, so to get [the pin] was a big step.”
When asked about Roberts’s performance, BU coach Carl Adams tagged the injury as the reason for Roberts’ final three losses.
“He did well this weekend,” Adams said. “We just need to get him locked back in. He is coming back from the facial injury, so he has lost a bit in the way of conditioning. To compete at this level, you have to be in top-notch physical shape. He is almost in that sort of shape.”
Adams said that all of Roberts’ losses were close, including one in sudden death overtime late in the day.
“I lost a little conditioning after the injury and I could feel it in the last few matches,” Roberts said. “I have to work on my conditioning this week and get back to where I was, but I can do that.”
Roberts will be forced to do so, as he and Whitaker will be traveling to Evanston, Ill. to compete in the Midlands Championship Invitational on Dec. 28. The tournament, which features the best wrestlers from across the nation, offers Roberts and Whitaker the opportunity to showcase Terrier wrestling.
“This is our chance to show the nation what we can do,” Whitaker said. “We know what we can do, and now we need to go out and make our mark. That’s our job.”
The rest of the team will be headed back to Pennsylvania to compete in the Wilkes Open the same weekend as the invitational.
“We have essentially three weeks off right now to get everyone to where they need to be,” Adams said. “This time will be good to hone in on what we need to, especially conditioning. Everyone understands what the next few weeks are about, and they will be ready.”