NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University wrestling team surrendered a 37-9 decision against the New England Wrestling Association's ninth-ranked University of Southern Maine on Saturday afternoon at Andrews Gym.
In a short ceremony before the game, the Cadets honored three graduating seniors for their contributions to the program. Shale Ring (Chester, N.J.), Brandon DesFosses (Methuen, Mass.), and Mike Kennedy (Somers Point, N.J.) all received their senior gift before the action started.
Norwich forfeited the first two bouts at 125 and 133 pounds consequently bumping freshman Cameron Wooldridge (Roanoke, Va.) up to 141 pounds.
A quick takedown in the first period by USM's Kevin Moore stood up through the first half of the second period until Wooldridge earned his own takedown to square the match at 2-2. An escape by Moore gave him a one-point advantage through the end of the second period. Another Moore takedown followed by a four-point near fall grew Moore's lead to 9-2. A late reversal by Wooldridge cut the deficit to 9-4, but he was unable to get any closer.
At 149 pounds, junior Ben Forsman (Voorhees, N.J.) fell behind following a takedown by Jeremy Sendrowski in the first minute of the opening period. That would take the pair into the second period where Sendrowski scored another takedown to open up a 4-0 edge. A pair of false starts by Sendrowski got Forsman on the board at 4-1 heading into the third period. The grapplers traded a rapid-fire takedown and escape exchange allowing Forsman to narrow the gap to 5-3. Another takedown by Sendrowski extended the Huskies' lead to 7-3 and Forsman could not generate any further points through the end of the match.
Freshman Tyler Barker (Round Rock, Texas) nabbed a takedown in the first 30 seconds of his 157-pound bout to grab an early 2-0 lead over NEWA's #8 ranked Zac Thompson. Thompson reversed to square the match at 2-2 just a minute into the first period. Barker gave up a point through an escape by Thompson to begin the second period. The second period ended deadlocked at 3-3. An early escape in the third period gave Barker a 4-3 advantage. Barker maneuvered for another takedown with a minute left in the third to take a 6-3 lead. A reversal by Thompson narrowed the gap to 6-5, but a final escape by Barker bumped his lead to 7-5 and he would hold on for the big upset giving the Cadets their first three points of the match.
A takedown by USM's Juan Vernaza, the number seveth-ranked NEWA wrester at 165 pounds, within the first minute of the first period started the bout giving the Huskies a 2-0 lead. An escape by Norwich's Blaise Bressler (Fredericksburg, Pa.) just before the end of the period brought the score 2-1. A reversal and a four-point near fall by Vernaza gave the USM wrestler a commanding 8-1 lead as the second period ended. Another USM takedown at the start of the third followed by an escape by Bressler ran the score to 10-2. The wrestlers traded takedowns and Bressler had Vernaza in a position to pin, but couldn't hold him as Vernaza escaped with a 14-6 major decision.
The first period of the bout at 174 pounds saw Norwich's number sixth-ranked freshman Niko Chitty (Coral Springs, Fla.) use a takedown and an escape following a takedown by Raul Gierbolini to earn a 3-2 lead. With just seven seconds remaining in the opening frame, Chitty jostled into position for a no-doubt pin to bring the Cadets to within 22-9.
The 184-pound bout featured a pair of wrestlers ranked back-to-back in the NEWA individual rankings at #5 and #6. A minute and a half into the 184-pound bout, USM's Josh Smith (ranked #6) used a takedown to grab a 2-1 lead as Norwich's Daniel Curran (Peterborough, N.H.) quickly escaped. Curran countered 30 seconds later with his own takedown to give him a 3-2 lead. Smith battled hard for an escape near the end of the period to tie the bout at 3-3. An escape by Curran followed by a reversal by Smith gave the USM wrestler a 5-4 lead, but Curran quickly escaped to knot the bout at 5-5 and the pair stalemated the rest of the second period. With a minute left in the bout, Smith had accumulated a pair of takedowns and an escape to build up a 10-5 lead. Curran was unable to manage an escape failing to give him the opportunity to score and fell 10-5.
Trailing 25-9 in the match, Norwich's Diaris Donaldson (Huntsville, Ala.) narrowly escaped an early pin but found himself down 6-0 to Sol Demers at 197 pounds. An escape got Donaldson on the board, but Demers employed a throw and pin combination to claim the bout with just two seconds remaining in the first period.
In the heavyweight bout, Mike Kennedy (Somers Point, N.J.) was pinned by Jake Peavey in the first period to give Southern Maine a 37-9 victory.
Norwich will take part in the Futures Invitational next Saturday in Springfield, Massachusetts with bouts starting at 11:00 a.m.
