PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Redshirt senior Geoffrey Alexander (133) picked up the lone win for Maryland Friday evening, downing 18th ranked Anthony Giraldo of No. 12/12 Rutgers by decision 9-2. It was all Scarlet Knights the rest of the way as the hosts won the next eight bouts and nine total for the 30-3 team decision. Rutgers improves to 12-3 and 3-2 in the Big Ten, while Maryland drops to 4-10 (1-6 Big Ten).
Alexander nearly had Giraldo pinned in the opening seconds of the bout at the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC), taking the Scarlet Knight down and flipping him on his back. Giraldo managed to get away after several seconds of trouble, but Alexander came away with a six-point lead after a four-point near fall. He remained in control for the remainder of the match before sealing the 9-2 decision to remain unbeaten (5-0) in duals.
Redshirt Sophomore Dawson Peck (285) provided one of the night's most entertaining matches, nearly knocking off No. 13 Billy Smith in the heavyweight bout. Peck had the first takedown and a 2-1 lead at the end of the first period, but a reversal and takedown for Smith in the second turned the tables.
Peck managed two escapes to tie the match at five and force OT, and the wrestlers went to the tiebreak periods after going scoreless in sudden victory. After failing to escape from the bottom, Peck elected to cut Smith and go for the takedown, but couldn't put the Scarlet Knight to the mat as Smith eventually came out ahead 8-5.
All five of Rutgers' ranked wrestlers turned in victories, including a technical fall for 2014 All-American and eighth ranked Anthony Perrotti at 165. No. 20 Sean McCabe provided the other bonus point win for Rutgers, while seven more decisions sealed the win for the Scarlet Knights.
The Terps will return to the mat on Friday, February 5 when the squad hosts No. 6/8 Michigan in College Park. Match time is slated for 7:00 pm.
Maryland 3, Rutgers 30
125: No. 20 Sean McCabe (RU) major decision over Michael Beck (MD), 13-4 (0-4)
133: No. 16 Geoffrey Alexander (MD) decision over No. 18 Anthony Giraldo (RU), 9-2 (3-4)
141: No. 6 Anthony Ashnault (RU) decision over Alfred Bannister (MD), 7-5 (3-7)
149: Tyson Dippery (RU) decision over Ryan Diehl (MD), 4-0 (3-10)
157: No. 17 Richie Lewis (RU) decision over Lou Mascola (MD), 6-2 (3-13)
165: No. 8 Anthony Perrotti technical fall over Tyler Manion (MD), 15-0 (3-18)
174: vs. Phil Bakuckas (RU) decision over Derrick Evanovich (MD), 12-5 (3-21)
184: Nicholas Gravina (RU) decision over Jaron Smith (MD), 9-3 (3-24)
197: Hayden Hrymack (RU) decision over Garrett Wesneski (MD), 7-3 (3-27)
285: No. 13 Billy Smith (RU) tiebreaker decision over Dawson Peck (MD), 8-5 (TB-1) (3-30)
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