Injury concerns for Rutgers wrestling after its win over Princeton
PISCATAWAY - There was some concern and some good for the Rutgers University wrestling team Friday night in its 24-13 win over Princeton University before a crowd of 3,580 at Jersey Mike's Arena.
The concern is standout 141-pounder Sebastian Rivera had to take injury time in the first period of his bout against Danny Coles as he was noticeably limping as he got up off the mat.
He twas bothered by knee discomfort through the remainder of the bout and limped off the mat after it was over.
Rutgers coach Scott Goodale said Rivera injured his knee and will probably not wrestle Saturday when the Scarlet Knights conclude their dual-meet season against Columbia at Jersey Mike's Arena.
"He felt a little better afterward, so that's a good sign,'' Goodale said. "He was probably more scared than anything. But, anytime, you are dealing with a knee, you never know. We've got to get it looked at.''
Rivera declines injury default option
Goodale did admit he asked Rivera if he wanted to injury default during the injury timeout.
"Seb's the kind of guy where if you do that, it's not going to be a good scene,'' Goodale said. "It was all up to him.''
Rivera (22-0), a three-time NCAA top six finisher and four-time NCAA All-American, still was able to fight his way through the bout. He clinched the match with two bouts left with a 20-3 technical fall win.
It was Rivera's 21st win with bonus points. He has a nation-leading 13 technical falls, four major decisions, two pins and two wins by forfeit. He has outscored his opposition 301-54.
Goodale said he and his coaching staff were going to talk later Friday night about who was going to wrestle at 141 Saturday. He said Sammy Alvarez, who began the season at 133 and then was replaced by freshman Joey Olivieri when he had weight issues, was likely not an option.
"Sammy's not around right now. He's not down to weight,'' Goodale said.
Also concern for Robert Kanniard
More concern for the Scarlet Knights came in the final bout as 157-pounder Robert Kanniard injury defaulted to Quincy Monday late in the first period after he sustained a broken nose. Monday was leading 6-0 at the time.
"He'll be fine,'' Goodale said. "He, obviously, won't be ready for (Saturday), but that's why Al DeSantis gets all those matches (the extra bouts, including one Friday night).''
The major positives for the Scarlet Knights were two unheralded wrestlers came up big in tossup bouts.
Second-year freshman Connor O'Neill scored a 3-2 win at 174 pounds and redshirt sophomore heavyweight Boone McDermott defeated Matt Cover 6-4 in sudden victory period No. 1.
"Any time, you get your hand raised, it's important this time of year,'' Goodale, who is thinking about the post-season beginning with the Big Ten Tournament March 5-6 in Lincoln, Nebraska, said.
Those two wins eliminated any chance Princeton (6-5) had of beating Rutgers for the second straight time.
Rutgers (15-5) won seven of the 10 bouts, including four straight from 174-heavyweight and three straight from 133-149 as it extended its lead in its oldest series to 45-34-5 and defeated Princeton for the 24th time in the last 25 meetings dating back to Dec. 8, 1990.
O'Neill had lost four straight and eight of nine entering Friday night. For McDermott, it was his third win in the last four after he had lost six of seven.
O'Neill's win tied the match 3-3 after Princeton had won a toss-up bout at 165 to begin the match. It was O'Neill's second win of the season over Dugan.
"He (O'Neill) really, really needed that. It was huge,'' Goodale said.
O'Neill broke a 1-1 tie with a takedown on a roll-through off a Dugan shot at the right-center of the mat with 1:01 left.
Dugan escaped with 14.3 seconds left, but O'Neill fought off a Dugan attempt for a winning takedown in the closing seconds as Goodale first pointed at O'Neill and then pumped his fist toward the fans behind the Rutgers bench right after the bout.
"There's reasons for me to get excited with Connor,'' Goodale said.
O'Neill (11-13) was able to defend effectively throughout the bout and scrambled his way out of several Dugan takedown attempts.
"Connor worked a lot this week in those positions,'' Goodale said. "He fended off 3-4 shots.''
McDermott's winning takedown came at the lower center of the mat with 35.9 seconds left in the first sudden victory period. He then flexed to the crowd as the Rutgers fans roared.
"He's (McDermott) doing better. He's winning close matches,'' Goodale said. "He's figuring it out all the time. The more he wrestles in these matches, the better off we all are.''
John Poznanski back on track
Princeton closed to within 13-7 when Pat Glory, ranked No. 2 in the country at 125, majored Dylan Shawver 13-3.
Glory had two takedowns and four back points in the first period and another takedown in the third period. Shawver did have a reversal in the first period.
An 8-4 win by Joey Olivieri over Nick Kayal at 133 made it 16-7 Rutgers with three bouts left.
Olivieri had a takedown and then four back points off a headlock in the final 26 seconds of the first period to take control of the bout.
John Poznanski, the NCAA fourth-place finisher at 184 last year, got back on track and gave the Scarlet Knights the lead for good at 7-3 lead with a 15-6 major decision over backup Michael Squires. Princeton's regular 184-pounder - two-time NCAA qualifier Travis Stefanik - did not weigh in.
It was just the second win in the last six bouts for Poznanski (15-4). Both of his wins in that span have been against backups. The defeats have been to ranked opponents.
Luke Stout decisioned by Greg Bulsak
The Scarlet Knights' lead increased to 10-3 when four-time NCAA qualifier Greg Bulsak defeated Princeton freshman Luke Stout 9-3.
Stout is the son of Bryan Stout, who was the NJSIAA 189-pound champion in 1992, when he was a senior at Southern. Bryan Stout was a four-time NCAA All-American from 1994-97 at Clarion (Pa.).
Former Southern head coach and Lacey NJSIAA 140-pound 1990 third-place finisher John Stout is Luke Stout's uncle.
It was Bulsak's first win over a ranked opponent since Jan. 14.
"That's a big win for Greg,'' Goodale said. "He's in tremendous wrestling shape, which I was pleased with.''
RUTGERS 24, PRINCETON 13
165: Blaine Bergey (P) d. Andrew Clark 8-5
174: Connor O'Neill (R) d. Nate Dugan 3-2.
184: John Poznanski (R) md. Michael Squires 15-6
197: Greg Bulsak (R) d. Luke Stout 9-3.
HWT: Boone McDermott (R) d. Matthew Cover 6-4 (Sudden Victory Period No. 1).
125: Pat Glory (P) md. Dylan Shawver 13-3.
133: Joey Olivieri (R) d. Nick Kayal 8-4
141: Sebastian Rivera (R) tf. Danny Coles 6:47 (20-3).
149: Mike VanBrill (R) d. Marshall Keller 8-7 (on the riding time point).
157: Quincy Monday (P) by injury default over Robert Kanniard 2:32.
EXTRA BOUT
157: Al DeSantis (R) d. Jack Lang 6-1.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Rutgers wrestling: Injuries an issue for Scarlet Knights in win
