FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 30, 2010

PRIDE SWEEP AT RIC
TRI-MATCH

Providence, RI—Springfield College, the fifth-ranked team in the New England Wrestling Association, defeated fourth-ranked and No. 30 nationally Rhode Island College, 29-9, and second-ranked and No. 25 nationally Wesleyan, 20-12, at a tri-match hosted by the Anchormen on Saturday afternoon at The Murray Center.

 RIC seniors Joe Manley, Paul Gerbino and Ray Moore were honored with their families before the second match of the evening

The Pride raise their record to 9-4 with the wins. Wesleyan, which defeated RIC, 31-14, in the day’s final matchup, went 1-1 to register a 9-6 overall record. The Anchormen, who are now in the midst of a five-match losing streak, drop to 9-5 on the season.

Springfield began the day with a 29-9 win over Rhode Island College, which avenged a 17-16 loss at the New England Duals last Sunday. The Anchormen opened with a 3-1 win at 149 lbs. as third-ranked junior Kevin Sutherland (Dauphin, PA) defeated fourth-ranked sophomore Ryan McGilvray (Manalapan, NJ). The Pride answered right back by winning the next four bouts led by a major decision, 13-3, win by freshman Derrick Longo (Ardsley, NY) at 165 lbs. and a pin by senior Tyler LeBlanc (East Hartford, CT) at 174 lbs.

Sophomore Steve Saba (Methuen, MA) earned a 7-4 win at 197 lbs. for the hosts, but junior Ron Fusco (Billerica, MA) scored a reversal in overtime to defeat RIC freshman Brian Nicoll (Plaistow, NY) in a battle of the sixth and fourth-ranked grapplers, respectively, in the region.

 Junior Steve Saba went 2-0 on the day

Seventh-ranked Springfield freshman Michael Rose (Patterson, NY) sealed the victory for the visitors with a 12-6 win at 125 lbs. The contest was ended with a 3-1 overtime win by third-ranked RIC sophomore Mike Trasso (Lyndhurst, NJ) over fourth-ranked SC junior Blaze Chatham (Walkill, NY).

The Anchormen only had four of their usual 10 starters in the match, three of whom earned wins.

In the following contest, the Pride won four of the final five matches to come from behind and defeat Wesleyan, 20-12.

McGilvray earned a 7-2 decision to open the matchup, but the Cardinals responded with three straight wins to build a 9-3 lead, paced by second-ranked senior Josh Berkovic’s (Montclair, NJ), 9-6, win at 165 lbs. The Pride stopped the attack as fifth-ranked Springfield freshman Jeremy Burns (Hoosick Falls, NY) downed fourth-ranked Wesleyan senior Zach Rolfe (Richmond, VA), 6-1, at 184 lbs.

Fourth-ranked Wesleyan sophomore Luke Erickson (Bloomington, MN) put the Cardinals up, 12-9, with a win at 197 lbs. The Pride took the next two bouts to take the lead, 13-12, capped by Rose’s impressive, 4-3, win over WU second-ranked senior Dan Bloom (Sharon, MA) at 125 lbs.

SC third-ranked freshman Joseph Grippi’s (Bedford Hills, NY) major decision, 18-5, at 133 lbs. forced the Cardinals to win the final bout by technical fall to tie or via pin to win, but Chatham’s, 3-1, win sealed the match.

RIC finished up the day with a loss to the Cardinals, 31-14. Sutherland started off the match with a convincing 20-7 victory over junior Vin deLalla (Virginia Beach, VA). However, the Cardinals rolled off four straight wins to take a convincing, 22-4, lead after five matches.

Headlining the four straight wins for Wesleyan was a pin by Berkovic and two forfeits.

The Anchormen weren’t going to give up that easy as Saba and Nicoll earned back-to-back victories at 197 and 285 lbs. to cut the lead down to 22-10. Saba defeated Erickson, while Nicoll defeated sophomore Dave Amrhein (Kendall Park, NJ).

Wesleyan countered with a win by Bloom at 125 lbs. to clinch the win. Trasso ended the match with a victory over freshman Nick Scotto (East Setauket, NY). The Anchormen were only able to use five starters in the win.

MATCH RESULTS: Springfield (8-4) 29, Rhode Island College (9-4) 9

149 lbs. Kevin Sutherland (RIC) def. Ryan McGilvray (SC), 3-1

157 lbs. Steve Flathers (SC) def. Jordan Jacquo (RIC), 4-2

165 lbs. Derrick Longo (SC) def. Remington Alves (RIC), 13-3

174 lbs. Tyler LeBlanc (SC) pinned Geoff Riccio (RIC) at 1:37

184 lbs. Jeremy Burns (SC) won by forfeit

197 lbs. Steve Saba (RIC) def. Connor O’Rourke (SC), 7-4

285 lbs. Ron Fusco (SC) def. Brian Nicoll (RIC), 3-2 OT

125 lbs. Michael Rose (SC) def. Mike Sugermeyer (RIC), 12-6

133 lbs. Joseph Grippi (SC) def. William Lynn (RIC), 15-5

141 lbs. Mike Trasso (RIC) def. Blaze Chatham (SC), 3-1 OT

MATCH RESULTS: Springfield (9-4) 20, Wesleyan (8-6), 12

149 lbs. Ryan McGilvray (SC) def. Tom Oddo (WU), 9-2

157 lbs. David Bachy (WU) def. Jonathan Robertson (SC), 4-1

165 lbs. Josh Berkovic (WU) def. Derrick Longo (SC), 9-6

174 lbs. Greg Hurd (WU) def. Michael Fish (SC), 4-1

184 lbs. Jeremy Burns (SC) def Zach Rolfe (WU), 6-1

197 lbs. Luke Erickson (WU) def. Connor O’Rourke (SC), 7-3

285 lbs. Ron Fusco (SC) def. Brian Byrne (WU), 15-3

125 lbs. Mike Rose (SC) def. Dan Bloom (WU), 4-3

133 lbs. Joseph Grippi (SC) def. Maika Nagata (WU), 18-5

141 lbs. Blaze Chatham (SC) def. Howard Tobochnik (WU), 3-1

MATCH RESULTS: Wesleyan (9-6) 31, Rhode Island College (9-5) 14

149 lbs. Kevin Sutherland (RIC) def. Vin deLalla (WU), 20-7

157 lbs. David Bachy (WU) def. Remington Alves (RIC), 13-3

165 lbs. Josh Berkovic (WU) pinned Jordan Jacquo (RIC) at 4:40

174 lbs. Greg Hurd (WU) won by forfeit

184 lbs. Zach Rolfe (WU) won by forfeit

197 lbs. Steve Saba (RIC) def. Luke Erickson (WU), 6-4

285 lbs. Brian Nicoll (RIC) def. Dave Amrhein (WU), 2-1

125 lbs. Dan Bloom (WU) def. Brandon Gauthier (RIC), 3-1

133 lbs. Maika Nagata (WU) pinned William Lynn (RIC) at 1:37

141 lbs. Mike Trasso (RIC) def. Nick Scotto (WU), 10-2

RIC seniors Paul Gerbino (Glen Ridge, NJ), Joe Manley (Wayland, MA) and Ray Moore (Wrentham, MA) were honored, along with their families, as part of Senior Day prior to the Wesleyan match. Sutherland, Saba and Nicoll each went 2-0 on the day.

In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will in a Pilgrim League tri-match with Roger Williams at Southern Maine on Sunday, Feb. 7.

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