LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Four straight bonus-point victories to open the night powered the Rider wrestling team to an early 20-0 advantage, as the Broncs used five bonus-point wins,  including two pins,  to roll past Lock Haven, 29-12, on Friday night in Alumni Gym. The dominant performance sets the stage for Saturday's dual with Bloomsburg, with the MAC East title on the line.

No. 16/20 Tyler Klinsky wasted no time getting Rider on the board at 125 lbs., overwhelming Curtis Nelson with a relentless attack. Klinsky piled up five takedowns and 20 total points en route to a 20-4 technical fall, improving to 15-0 in duals this season and extending his win streak to 12 to give the Broncs an early 5-0 lead.

At 133 lbs., Will Betancourt delivered a momentum-shifting result against Patrick O'Keefe. After a tight bout that featured a pair of escapes and forced overtime, Betancourt capitalized during a scramble, locking in a cradle to earn the fall and push Rider's lead to 11-0.

Rider kept rolling at 141 lbs. as No. 14/20 Elijah Griffin took control against No. 24/30 Wyatt Henson in a rematch from the season-opening Princeton Open. Unlike the narrow 4-3 decision earlier this year, Griffin asserted himself with a takedown in each period, highlighted by a last-second go-behind, to secure a 12-2 major decision and extend the lead to 15-0.

Lock Haven picked up its first win at 157 lbs., trimming the margin, but the Broncs quickly answered back. At 165 lbs., Brendon Abdon delivered the night's biggest highlight. Trailing 6-3 late,
Abdon launched a throw and locked in a tight headlock to earn the pin over Ousamane Duncanson, sending the crowd into a frenzy and extending Rider's lead to 26-3.

The Bald Eagles claimed decisions at 174 and 184 lbs., but No. 15/19 Brock Zurawski shut the door at 197 lbs. Zurawski used two takedowns to defeat returning NCAA qualifier Tucker Hogan, 6-1, pushing the team score to 29-9.

Lock Haven added a decision at heavyweight, but Rider had already secured the 29-12 victory. With the win, the Broncs now need just a victory in Saturday's dual against Bloomsburg to clinch the MAC East Division title.

Quotes and Notes
"I thought we picked up right where we left off against Rutgers and George Mason — with high energy and a hungry mindset. Bonus points are everything in a dual meet, and jumping out to a 20-0 lead through the first four weights gave us a great cushion. That early margin takes some pressure off our upper weights and allows them to wrestle freely and naturally.
If we want to win the MAC East title tomorrow, we can't overlook anyone. We have to keep wrestling the way we have, stay aggressive, and avoid slowing down. If we do that, the results will take care of themselves." – Rider Head Coach John Hangey. 

Match Results
Rider 29, Lock Haven 12
125: #16/20 Tyler Klinsky (Rider) over Curtis Nelson (Lock Haven) (TF 20-4 6:14)
133: Will Betancourt (Rider) over Patrick O`Keefe (Lock Haven) (SV-1 (Fall) 7:07)
141: #14/20 Elijah Griffin (Rider) over #24/30 Wyatt Henson (Lock Haven) (MD 12-2)
149: Dylan Layton (Rider) over Kelly Kakos (Lock Haven) (TF 20-5 7:00)
157: Nick Stampoulos (Lock Haven) over Gianni Maldonado (Rider) (Dec 8-3)
165: Brendon Abdon (Rider) over Ousamane Duncanson (Lock Haven) (Fall 4:19)
174: #33 Avery Bassett (Lock Haven) over Enrique Munguia (Rider) (Dec 9-6)
184: Sam Gautreau (Lock Haven) over Giovanni Alejandro (Rider) (Dec. 5-1)
197: #15/19 Brock Zurawski (Rider) over Tucker Hogan (Lock Haven) (Dec 6-1)
285: Kade Sottolano (Lock Haven) over Hogan Swenski (Rider) (Dec 4-3)

Up Next
The Broncs return to the mat on Feb. 7, squaring off with Bloomsburg with the MAC East title and an unblemished conference record on the lin