Feb. 24, 2000
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - With five returning starters redshirting this season, Maryland head coach John McHugh never imagined that his team would finish in a tie for second-place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Yet, his team broke all expectations and matched one of McHugh's finest years as the Terrapin coach by earning their eighth win in a 30-15 victory over American at Ritchie Coliseum.
In one of the evening's tightest matches, sophomore Josh Weidman (Hershey, Pa.) defeated American junior Denis Alampiev, ranked in the top 25 by Intermat, by a score of 5-4. After trailing early by a 4-2 margin, Weidman, 25-6, escaped to cut the margin to one point in the second period and then took down Alampiev for the winning points to close out the period. Neutral to start the final two minutes, both wrestlers repeatedly looked for scoring opportunities, but neither could capitalize.
The Terps started the match with six consecutive wins. At 133, No. 23 Brandon York (Gaithersburg, Md.) dismantled Peter Tarricone after a slow start to earn a technical fall as time expired. The defending ACC champion, with a 32-6 record, earned three back points to end the match, finishing with a 21-3 score. Mark Mansueto (West Chester, Pa.), at 141, followed by defeating Pat Diaz, 12-5 to win his 10th dual of the season.
On senior day, co-captain Grant Newman (Chesapeake City, Md.) improved to 8-2 in duals with an 8-2 decision against Drew Robertson. Sophomore Rob Booth (Atco, N.J.) also won his 12th match of the season in the victory.
American was forced to forfeit at two weight classes, 125 and heavyweight, due to injuries, but earned back-to-back pins by Stacy Woodhouse, at 174, in 2:10 and Josh Schroeder, at 184, in 46 seconds. The match was originally scheduled on Feb 9, but the Eagles were forced to cancel because they could not dress the minimum seven wrestlers required by the NCAA due to injuries.
At 8-3, Maryland matches their 1996-97 record, which led to five NCAA qualifiers and a 29th place finish at the NCAA Championships.
Maryland finishes the season at 8-3, 2-2 in the ACC. The Terps are off until next Saturday, March 4, when they host the 46th annual ACC Tournament in Cole Field House beginning at noon.
Individual Results: MD AU
125 - Matt Pandullo (MD) won by forfeit 6 0
133 - Brandon York (MD) tech. fall Peter Tarricone (AU), 21-3, 7:00 11 0
141 - Mark Mansueto (MD) dec. Pat Diaz (AU), 12-5 14 0
149 - Grant Newman (MD) major dec. Drew Robertson (AU), 12-1 18 0
157 - Rob Booth (MD) dec. Aaron Baker (AU), 8-2 21 0
165 - Josh Weidman (MD) dec. Denis Alampiev (AU), 5-4 24 0
174 - Stacy Woodhouse (AU) pinned Mike Tomaino (MD), F2:10 24 6
184 - Josh Schroeder (AU) pinned Mark Reid (MD), F0:46 24 12
197 - Ryan Pallinger (AU) dec. Bob Vorhies (MD), 4-1 24 15
Hwt. - Jeremy Duncan (MD) won by forfeit 30 15
