The scoring output was the highest of the season for the Scarlet Knights and the team’s first time scoring at least 30 points since topping Brown, 31-12, on Jan. 20, 2013.
“We were scoring points on top, and we’ve been stressing it – wrestling is fun when you’re scoring points,” said head coach Scott Goodale. “When you start breaking matches open it’s even more fun. That needs to be the objective and there are a lot of guys doing that.”
After No. 8/12/7 (AWN/InterMat/W.I.N.) David Terao topped redshirt freshman Sean McCabe (Connetquot, N.Y.) at 125 pounds by a 6-1 margin, ending a six-match winning streak, Rutgers won seven consecutive bouts to build a 28-3 lead.
Included in the dominant stretch were three tech falls and a major decision, which began at 141 pounds with freshman Tyson Dippery (Harrisburg, Pa.). The Central Dauphin (Pa.) product took a 14-0 lead against Tom Page into the second period before ending the bout less than a minute later, taking a 17-0 win with 2:49 of riding time. It was Dippery’s team-high fifth tech fall of the season, bumping his team-leading record to 19-8.
Three bouts later at 165 pounds, redshirt junior Nick Visicaro (Long Branch, N.J.) defeated Christian Masaya, 16-0. The bout ended in the second period with his first tech fall of 2013-14. He built an 8-0 lead in the first period and added seven more points in the first 39 seconds of the second period, capping the win with 2:39 of riding time.
Redshirt freshman Phil Bakuckas (Hammonton, N.J.) followed suit with another tech fall, also in the second period. Bakuckas led, 8-0, after the first period, choosing down after Keithen Cast deferred to start the second period.
Following a quick escape, Bakuckas notched a takedown and subsequent near falls to seal a 17-0 win with 3:40 of riding time. At 9-2, Bakuckas holds RU’s best dual record and is 13-6 overall.
Redshirt senior Dan Seidenberg (Red Bank, N.J.) notched the final bonus point win of the dual, scoring an 11-1 major decision at 184 pounds over Jason Grimes. The major was Seidenberg’s first of the season.
Redshirt sophomore Billy Smith (Wantage, N.J.) ranked No. NR/18/19, completed the 31-6 Rutgers win with a 3-1 decision over Blake Herrin. Herrin, who was ranked earlier this season, dropped his second match of the year to Smith, who improved his EIWA dual record to a perfect 6-0. He is now 17-5 overall, 8-2 in dual action and rides a five-match winning streak into RU’s next dual.
All-time, Rutgers improved to 12-1 against American and 5-0 in the Goodale era.
The Scarlet Knights open their tough road stretch next Friday, Jan. 17 at No. 17/16/17 (AWN/InterMat/W.I.N.) Iowa State. Iowa State defeated RU last season at the RAC, 19-15, in a hard-fought match. All-time Rutgers is 0-2-1 against the Cyclones.
RU’s following two duals will also come on the road against ranked foes, including matches with No. 6/6/T8 Cornell (Jan. 26) and No. 19/23/T18 Lehigh (Feb. 8).
Results:
125: No. 8/12/7 David Terao (AU) dec. over Sean McCabe (RU), 6-1; American leads, 3-0
133: Vinnie Dellefave (RU) dec. over Esteban Gomez-Rivera (AU), 7-3; Match tied, 3-3.
141: Tyson Dippery (RU) tech fall over Tom Page (AU), 17-0 (second round); Rutgers leads, 8-3.
149: Ken Theobold (RU) dec. over Mark Cirello (AU), 6-5; Rutgers leads, 11-3.
157: Anthony Perrotti (RU) dec. over John Boyle (AU), 6-1; Rutgers leads, 14-3.
165: Nick Visicaro (RU) tech fall over Christian Masaya (AU), 16-0 (second period); Rutgers leads, 19-3.
174: Phil Bakuckas (RU) tech fall over Keithen Cast (AU), 17-0 (second period); Rutgers leads, 24-3.
184: Dan Seidenberg (RU) major dec. over Jason Grimes (AU), 11-1; Rutgers leads, 28-3.
197: No. 6/9/10 Danny Mitchell (AU) dec. over Hayden Hrymack (RU), 6-3; Rutgers leads, 28-6.
HWT: No. NR/18/19 Billy Smith (RU) dec. over Blake Herrin (AU), 3-1; Rutgers wins, 31-6.
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