HEMPSTEAD, NY - The Rider University wrestling team (10-1, 5-1 EWL) earned a convincing 40-4 win over the Pride of Hofstra University Friday evening. With the win, Rider Head Coach Gary Taylor is now one dual win away from tying former Minnesota Head Coach J Robinson for third place all-time (440). 

The Broncs took nine of 10 matches from the Pride, and blew the match open in the middleweights with consecutive pins from B.J. Clagon (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South), Chad Walsh (Cherry Hill, NJ/Camden Catholic), and Dean Sherry (Brick, NJ/Brick Township). The Broncs also received victories from Brenden Calas (Clark, NJ/Seton Hall Prep [N.C. State]), Anthony Cefolo (Florham Park, NJ/Hanover Park Regional), Evan Fidelibus (Easton, PA/Easton Area), Michale Fagg-Daves (Somerset, NJ/Franklin), Ryan Wolfe (New Castle, DE/Caravel Academy), and Mauro Correnti (Delran, NJ/Holy Cross [Lock Haven]). 

The pace of the match was set quickly with a big overtime victory for senior 125 Calas over Jacob Martin. Cefolo would follow that up with a 7-1 decision over Vinny Vespa, before Fidelibus would receive the victory by forfeit at 141 to push the lead to 12-0.

Jesse Rodgers (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) would then suffer the only loss of the afternoon, a hard-fought 11-2 defeat at the hands of Ryan Burkert.

The chain of pins would begin after that, with Clagon winning in 1:34, Walsh in 5:52, and Sherry in 3:52, to push the match out of reach for Hofstra, 30-4.

Fagg-Daves would then take home the win at 184 by the score of 6-2, before Ryan Wolfe would defeat Nezar Haddad 15-4, and Correnti would close the match the same way that it began, with a sudden victory decision, this time 3-1 over Omar Haddad, leaving the final score at 40-4.

Coach Taylor will have the chance to claim a share of third place when the Broncs play host to the Drexel Dragons Saturday, February 11th at 8 p.m. in Alumni Gymnasium.

125: Brenden Calas (RU) Dec. Jacob Martin (HU) 5-3, SV-1. RU Leads 3-0

133: Anthony Cefolo (RU) Dec. Vinny Vespa (HU) 7-1. RU Leads 6-0

141: Evan Fidelibus (RU) Forf. (HU). RU Leads 12-0

149: Ryan Burkert (HU) M. Dec. Jesse Rodgers (RU) 11-2. RU Leads 12-4

157: B.J. Clagon (RU) WBF. Jake Kaminsky (HU) 1:34. RU Leads 18-4

165: Chad Walsh (RU) WBF. Bobby Fehr (HU) 5:52. RU Leads 24-4

174: Dean Sherry (RU) WBF. Sage Heller (HU) 3:52. RU Leads 30-4

184: Michale Fagg-Daves (RU) Dec. Michael Oxley (HU) 6-2. RU Leads 33-4

197: Ryan Wolfe (RU) M. Dec. Nezar Haddad (HU) 15-4. RU Leads 37-4

285: Mauro Correnti (RU) Dec. Omar Haddad (HU) 3-1, SV-1. RU Wins 40-4