Alexander Reaches 100 Wins on Day One of NCAAs
3/17/2016 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Redshirt senior Geoffrey Alexander (133) reached 100 career victories Thursday afternoon as the Maryland grappler completed his first day of competition at the NCAA Championships. Alexander becomes the 10th Maryland wrestler on record to reach the feat, finishing 1-1 in his two matches. Alexander will now wrestle in the second round of wrestlebacks starting tomorrow morning at 11:00 am.
“It's great,” said Alexander. “I'm proud to be a part of a club of elite wresters at Maryland and it's just a great goal to achieve. Anything I can do to put this program and Maryland on a pedestal is just an awesome feeling.”
14th-seeded Alexander got his day started early Thursday in the first session, squaring off with Austin Eicher of Northern Illinois in his opening round match. After some early scrapping in the first period, the Pittsburgh, Pa. native got on the board with a takedown to carry a 2-0 edge into the second. After electing to take the down position, he escaped to go up 3-0 before a collision forced a stoppage as trainers attended to Eicher on the mat.
The two wrestlers shook hands and resumed action after Eicher was cleared, and Geoff notched another takedown to go up 5-0 at the start of the third. Eicher made it a match getting a takedown and escape to cut the deficit to 5-3, but Alexander came through with a late escape and ride time to seal his 100th victory 7-3.
Alexander advanced to the second round of the championship to face No 3 seed Zane Richards of Illinois. Geoff had him on the ropes early, getting a quick takedown to take the lead. Richards worked an escape and takedown of his own, before Alexander tied it up with an escape before the end of the period.
After the wrestlers traded escapes in the second and third periods, it was anyone's match heading into the final minutes. A stall call on Alexander awarded Richards a point, and another takedown had the Illini 133-pounder ahead 7-4. Geoff cut the deficit to two with an escape, but a late takedown and ride time turned into a 10-5 decision for Richards.
“My mindset is the same as it's always been,” said Alexander when asked about his road ahead tomorrow. “I'm excited to go out and give it my all again for seven minutes. I have to refocus, tomorrow is a new day.”
Alexander is scheduled to face either Bryan Lantry (Buffalo) or Jamal Morris (NC State) in the second round of wrestlebacks tomorrow. Follow coverage below:
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