COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Maryland secured seven victories, including the second pin in three matches for freshman Jaron Smith (184), as the Terrapins took care of Drexel University 24-10 Saturday evening. The Terps (3-4, 0-1 Big Ten) are now riding a two-match winning streak, while Drexel drops to 3-5 in head-to-head competition this season.
I'm really excited, I think this was a great win for our guys,” said head coach Kerry McCoy. “They've been working really hard...our guys were fired up about it the whole week. It's great just to be back home and get a win, we had some really exciting matches.”
Smith provided one of the most entertaining matches of the evening, earning a fall over Drexel sophomore Stephen Loiseau in the first 30-second overtime period. The Columbia, Md. native had control early on, but Louiseau managed to tie the match 4-4 and force overtime. Loiseau nearly clinched a decision on riding time, but came up just three tenths of a second short of the go ahead point. Neither wrestler threatened much through the first minute, before Smith came from the bottom to earn his second career fall and put the Terps up 9-0.
A 6-2 decision for redshirt freshman Garrett Wesneski (197) had the hosts in front 12-0 through three weights, but Drexel hung around with a pair of decisions to make it 12-6 through five.
No. 18 Tyler Goodwin (133) got off to a hot start in the first period of his match vs. redshirt junior David Pearce, using takedown and four point near fall to quickly go up 6-0. Pearce kept it close with a reversal in the third period, but Goodwin ultimately secured the 7-2 decision to move to 5-2 on the season.
Redshirt-senior Lou Mascola (157) also pulled off an exciting victory, after going down 4-1 early to redshirt sophomore Ryan O'Connor. The two traded points back and forth throughout the match, before Mascola found himself down 7-8 in the closing seconds of the third period. The East Hanover, N.J. native came through with a clutch takedown just before the buzzer to clinch a 9-8 decision and the match over the Dragons.
Josh Snook (175), Alfred Bannister (141) and Brendan Burnham (165) were also all victorious for the Terps to help the team win its first head-to-head dual match of the season at the XFINITY Center Pavilion.
The Maryland wrestling program will be right back at it tomorrow when the team travels to the Nittany Lion Open in State College, Pa. The Terps will return to dual match action next Friday, December 11 when the team hosts its first Big Ten opponent of the season in Nebraska.
Maryland 24, Drexel 10
174: Josh Snook (MD) decision over Nick Elmer (DREX), 5-4 (3-0)
184: Jaron Smith (MD) fall over Stephen Loiseau (DREX), (9-0) 8:14
197: Garrett Wesneski (MD) decision over Nezar Haddad (DREX), 6-2 (12-0)
285: Joey Goodhart (DREX) decision over Youssif Hemida (MD), 5-3 (12-3)
125: Zack Fuentes (DREX) decision over Jhared Simmons (MD), 5-4 (12-6)
133: No. 18 Tyler Goodwin (MD) decision over David Pearce (DREX), 7-2 (15-6)
141: Alfred Bannister (MD) decision over Kevin Devoy Jr. (DREX), 8-7 (18-6)
149: No. 10 Matthew Cimato (DREX) major decision over Wade Hodges (MD), 10-2 (18-10)
157: Lou Mascola (MD) decision over Ryan O'Connor (DREX), 9-8 (21-10)
165: Brendan Burnham (MD) decision over Austin Rose (DREX), 4-2 (24-10)
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