Thanks to dominating wins by Matt Morkel (Omaha, Neb./Skutt) and Jordan Lipp (Beachwood, Oh./Beachwood), the Eagles got off to a fast start against fellow visitor Sacred Heart. After forfeiting 141, 2005 Wilkes Champion Tom Kniezewski (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) kept American ahead, winning by fall over Sean Eagan in just 1:11. Next up was newcomer and also fellow 2005 Wilkes Champion, Rudy Rueda (Waldorf, Md./DeMatha) who did not disappoint. The DeMatha High School product won a 5-2 decision in his first match since becoming eligible for the Eagles squad.
No. 6 Muzaffar Abdurakmanov (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) kept his unbeaten streak alive with a 2:37 pin victory over Vince Contino. The Eagles lost their next two matches with Evan Murtaugh (Croton, N.Y./Briarcliff) and Dwayne Hash-Barberis (Scotia, N.Y./Scotia Glenville) succumbing to a fall and a tech fall respectively. With No. 4 Josh Glenn (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City) on deck and No. 14 Adam LoPiccolo (Glen Rock, Pa./Glen Rock) in the hole, American was poised for victory. Though LoPiccolo ended up losing a 4-1 decision to No. 11 Payam Zarrinpour, it did not affect the team's outcome as AU's victory was sealed a match earlier when Glenn notched his 11th pin of the year at the 1:37 mark over Michael Ames.
The win set the stage for the night's main event against Columbia who finished two spots ahead of American at EIWAs and was pre-ranked fourth in the league. Morkel, the third-place finisher from the 2005 Wilkes Tournament, lost a 4-3 decision to 2004 NCAA qualifier Jeff Sato. Lipp showed that the month-long break from competing left no signs of rust on his 133 pound frame as he won his second match of the day, a close 3-2 decision over 2004 NCAA qualifier Matt DeLorenzo. After forfeiting at 141, the Eagles won six of the last seven matches of the match. Kniezewski, Rueda, Abdurakmanov and Glenn all took their second victories of the day capped by a LoPiccolo win by forfeit to put American as the 29-12 victors.
The Eagles have over a week off before they take on Brown University on the road Jan. 14.
American 31, Sacred Heart 20
125 - Matt Morkel (AU) def. Mike Arone (SH), 11-0
133 - Jordan Lipp (AU) def. Mike DelViscovo (SH), 10-2
141 - Chris Davis (SH) won via forfeit
149 - Tom Kniezewski (AU) won via fall over Sean Eagan (SH), 1:11
157 - Rudy Rueda (AU) def. Sherwood Fendryk (SH), 5-2
165 - Muzaffar Abdurakhanov (AU) won via fall over Vince Contino (SH), 2:37
174 - Kyle Coffman (SH) won via fall over Evan Murtaugh (AU), 0:34
184 - Andrew Silber (SH) won via technical fall over Dwayne Hash-Barberis (AU), 26-9 (6:21)
197 - Josh Glenn (AU) won via fall over Michael Ames (SH), 1:37
Hwt. - Payam Zarrinpour (SH) def. Adam LoPiccolo (AU), 4-1
American 29, Columbia 12
125 - Jeff Sato (C) def. Matt Morkel (AU), 4-3
133 - Jordan Lipp (AU) def. Matt DeLorenzo (C), 3-2
141- Dean Kinports (C) won via forfeit
149 - Tom Kniezewski (AU) won via fall over Derek Sickles (C), 6:59
157 - Christopher Stout (AU) def. Tyler Thurgood (C), 9-7
165 - Rudy Rueda (AU) def. Dustin Tillman (C), 18-9
174 - Muzaffar Abdurakhanov (AU) def. Kenji Porter (C), 21-7
184 - Josh Glenn (AU) def. Justin Barent (C), 6-0
197 - Orrin Klienhenz (C) def. Tyler Flatt (AU), 7-4
Hwt. - Adam LoPiccolo (AU) won via forfeit
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