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Kolodzik Falls In NCAA Quarters, Wrestles For All-American Finish Tonight; Laster Earns 100th Win
March 17, 2017 | Wrestling
RECAPS: Session I l Session II
A daunting morning session in St. Louis Friday will remind all Princeton wrestling fans just how tough the NCAA Championships are, and what a remarkable achievement it was to send seven to the event. And despite a milestone win for one of its tri-captains, it also saw the end of two historic Princeton careers.
Freshman Matthew Kolodzik fell 6-2 in his quarterfinal match to fifth-seeded Anthony Ashnault of Rutgers, though he can become the 10th wrestler in program history to earn All-American status with a win over 15th-seeded Tyler Smith of Bucknell during the Friday night session. The other five Princeton wrestlers who advanced to Friday all lost and were eliminated, including senior tri-captains Brett Harner and Jordan Laster.
The All-New Jersey semifinal opened with a scoreless first period, but Ashnault started the second on top and took advantage. He scored two points on a tilt near the edge of the circle, and he accrued 1:44 of riding time before Kolodzik was able to escape. Knowing he would likely need two takedowns, Kolodzik immediately gave up the escape and went to work, but it was Ashnault who scored on a double that all but clinched the win.
Kolodzik managed an escape, but there wasn't enough time to mount a comeback, and Ashnault returned to the NCAA semifinals for a second straight year with the 6-2 win.
Laster claimed his 100th career win in thrilling fashion with a 6-4 sudden-victory win over Wyoming's Cole Mendenhall. He jumped out to a 3-1 lead, but Mendenhall got a second-period takedown to close the gap. Two escapes set up sudden victory, and the Tiger veteran handled the moment with composure. He eventually got Mendenhall's waist and kept working until he finished the takedown.
Unfortunately, he wouldn't get a second straight chance at the Round of 12. Ninth-seeded Jordan Oliver rode Laster throughout the second period of their third-round consolation match, then took a quick escape in the third for a 1-0 lead. The two, who ended the first with a long scramble, got into another mat scramble in the third, but Oliver slipped behind Laster for the takedown. Always the competitor, Laster scored a late reversal, but he saw his brilliant career end with a 4-2 loss.
Laster can add the 100-victory milestone to a career that includes a 2017 EIWA title and an appearance in the 2015 final, 2017 first-team All-Ivy honors, and three trips to the NCAA Championships.
Classmate Brett Harner, who also won his 100th match this season, saw his career come to an end with an 8-4 loss to Daniel Chaid of North Carolina. Harner had the early edge with a takedown, and he nearly got another that Chaid fended off, but the momentum changed in the second period. Harner took down, and Chaid was able to drive a half and get Harner to his back. He fought off the fall, but the four back points would prove to be the difference in an 8-4 loss. Harner leaves a lasting legacy at Princeton; besides becoming Princeton's first All-American in 14 years and its first EIWA champion in 13 years, his leadership — like that of Laster and Ray O'Donnell — helped change the Princeton wrestling program.
Sophomore Pat D'Arcy saw his first NCAA Championships run end in a tight 4-0 loss to Rutgers' Scott Delvecchio. The Scarlet Knight grabbed the advantage with a first-period takedown, and then added an escape in the second for a 3-0 lead. D'Arcy was in on two deep shots that period, but Delvecchio fought both off and rode D'Arcy in the third to clinch the win. D'Arcy, who earned first-team All-Ivy League honors and placed fourth at the EIWA Championships, ends his season with an 18-17 record after wrestling one of the most loaded schedules for any Tiger wrestler.
Classmate Mike D'Angelo also dropped his first consolation match Friday against Penn's May Bethea. D'Angelo had won a 2-1 tiebreaker thriller during the regular season, but Bethea was able to find more offense in the rematch; he scored two takedowns in the first period to hold a 4-2 lead, and found two more to extend it to 8-4. D'Angelo fought back with takedown in the third, but Bethea kept the explosive Tiger sophomore locked up over the final minute to secure a 10-6 win. D'Angelo, another first-team All-Ivy League honoree, took third at EIWAs to reach his first NCAAs and finishes his season with an 18-12 record.
Junior Jonathan Schleifer dropped his Friday opened to 16th-seeded Christian Brucki of Central Michigan. Schleifer matched Brucki with first-period takedowns, but Brucki opened up in the second with a pair to grab an 8-4 lead, and he never looked back. Schleifer, now a three-time NCAA qualifier, caps his All-Ivy League season with a 19-11 record.
133 — Pat D'Arcy
R1: Won by decision over #13 Earl Hall (Iowa State) 8-1
R2: Lost by decision to #4 Cory Clark (Iowa) 10-5
C2: Lost by decision to Scott Delvecchio (Rutgers) 4-0
141 — #4 Matthew Kolodzik
R1: Won by decision over Ryan Diehl (Maryland) 8-3
R2: Won by decision over Jimmy Gulibon (Penn State) 6-3
QF: Lost by decision to #5 Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers) 6-2
C4: #15 Tyler Smith (Bucknell)
149 — #16 Jordan Laster
R1: Won by decision over Nick Barber (Eastern Michigan) 5-2
R2: Lost by technical fall to #1 Zain Retherford (Penn State) 16-0
C2: Won by decision over Cole Mendenhall (Wyoming) 6-4, sv-1
C3: Lost by decision to #9 Justin Oliver (Central Michigan) 4-0
157 — Mike D'Angelo
R1: Lost by decision to #11 Russell Parsons (Army) 7-1
C1: Won by decision over Colt Shorts (Cal Poly) 9-5
C2: Lost by decision to May Bethea (Penn) 10-6
174 — Jonathan Schleifer
R1: Lost by fall to #15 Trace Engelkes (Northern Iowa) 5:33
C1: Won by fall over Devin Skatzka (Indiana) 5:35
C2: Lost by major decision to #16 Christian Brucki (Central Michigan) 13-5
197 — Brett Harner
R1: Lost by fall to #7 Aaron Studebaker (Nebraska) 4:52
C1: Won by fall over Jake Tindle (Southern Illinois) 1:50
C2: Lost by decision to Daniel Chaid (North Carolina) 8-4
285 — Ray O'Donnell
R1: Lost by #2 Connor Medbury (Wisconsin)
C1: Lost by fall to Ross Larson (Oklahoma) 0:40
A daunting morning session in St. Louis Friday will remind all Princeton wrestling fans just how tough the NCAA Championships are, and what a remarkable achievement it was to send seven to the event. And despite a milestone win for one of its tri-captains, it also saw the end of two historic Princeton careers.
Freshman Matthew Kolodzik fell 6-2 in his quarterfinal match to fifth-seeded Anthony Ashnault of Rutgers, though he can become the 10th wrestler in program history to earn All-American status with a win over 15th-seeded Tyler Smith of Bucknell during the Friday night session. The other five Princeton wrestlers who advanced to Friday all lost and were eliminated, including senior tri-captains Brett Harner and Jordan Laster.
The All-New Jersey semifinal opened with a scoreless first period, but Ashnault started the second on top and took advantage. He scored two points on a tilt near the edge of the circle, and he accrued 1:44 of riding time before Kolodzik was able to escape. Knowing he would likely need two takedowns, Kolodzik immediately gave up the escape and went to work, but it was Ashnault who scored on a double that all but clinched the win.
Kolodzik managed an escape, but there wasn't enough time to mount a comeback, and Ashnault returned to the NCAA semifinals for a second straight year with the 6-2 win.
Laster claimed his 100th career win in thrilling fashion with a 6-4 sudden-victory win over Wyoming's Cole Mendenhall. He jumped out to a 3-1 lead, but Mendenhall got a second-period takedown to close the gap. Two escapes set up sudden victory, and the Tiger veteran handled the moment with composure. He eventually got Mendenhall's waist and kept working until he finished the takedown.
Unfortunately, he wouldn't get a second straight chance at the Round of 12. Ninth-seeded Jordan Oliver rode Laster throughout the second period of their third-round consolation match, then took a quick escape in the third for a 1-0 lead. The two, who ended the first with a long scramble, got into another mat scramble in the third, but Oliver slipped behind Laster for the takedown. Always the competitor, Laster scored a late reversal, but he saw his brilliant career end with a 4-2 loss.
Laster can add the 100-victory milestone to a career that includes a 2017 EIWA title and an appearance in the 2015 final, 2017 first-team All-Ivy honors, and three trips to the NCAA Championships.
Classmate Brett Harner, who also won his 100th match this season, saw his career come to an end with an 8-4 loss to Daniel Chaid of North Carolina. Harner had the early edge with a takedown, and he nearly got another that Chaid fended off, but the momentum changed in the second period. Harner took down, and Chaid was able to drive a half and get Harner to his back. He fought off the fall, but the four back points would prove to be the difference in an 8-4 loss. Harner leaves a lasting legacy at Princeton; besides becoming Princeton's first All-American in 14 years and its first EIWA champion in 13 years, his leadership — like that of Laster and Ray O'Donnell — helped change the Princeton wrestling program.
Sophomore Pat D'Arcy saw his first NCAA Championships run end in a tight 4-0 loss to Rutgers' Scott Delvecchio. The Scarlet Knight grabbed the advantage with a first-period takedown, and then added an escape in the second for a 3-0 lead. D'Arcy was in on two deep shots that period, but Delvecchio fought both off and rode D'Arcy in the third to clinch the win. D'Arcy, who earned first-team All-Ivy League honors and placed fourth at the EIWA Championships, ends his season with an 18-17 record after wrestling one of the most loaded schedules for any Tiger wrestler.
Classmate Mike D'Angelo also dropped his first consolation match Friday against Penn's May Bethea. D'Angelo had won a 2-1 tiebreaker thriller during the regular season, but Bethea was able to find more offense in the rematch; he scored two takedowns in the first period to hold a 4-2 lead, and found two more to extend it to 8-4. D'Angelo fought back with takedown in the third, but Bethea kept the explosive Tiger sophomore locked up over the final minute to secure a 10-6 win. D'Angelo, another first-team All-Ivy League honoree, took third at EIWAs to reach his first NCAAs and finishes his season with an 18-12 record.
Junior Jonathan Schleifer dropped his Friday opened to 16th-seeded Christian Brucki of Central Michigan. Schleifer matched Brucki with first-period takedowns, but Brucki opened up in the second with a pair to grab an 8-4 lead, and he never looked back. Schleifer, now a three-time NCAA qualifier, caps his All-Ivy League season with a 19-11 record.
133 — Pat D'Arcy
R1: Won by decision over #13 Earl Hall (Iowa State) 8-1
R2: Lost by decision to #4 Cory Clark (Iowa) 10-5
C2: Lost by decision to Scott Delvecchio (Rutgers) 4-0
141 — #4 Matthew Kolodzik
R1: Won by decision over Ryan Diehl (Maryland) 8-3
R2: Won by decision over Jimmy Gulibon (Penn State) 6-3
QF: Lost by decision to #5 Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers) 6-2
C4: #15 Tyler Smith (Bucknell)
149 — #16 Jordan Laster
R1: Won by decision over Nick Barber (Eastern Michigan) 5-2
R2: Lost by technical fall to #1 Zain Retherford (Penn State) 16-0
C2: Won by decision over Cole Mendenhall (Wyoming) 6-4, sv-1
C3: Lost by decision to #9 Justin Oliver (Central Michigan) 4-0
157 — Mike D'Angelo
R1: Lost by decision to #11 Russell Parsons (Army) 7-1
C1: Won by decision over Colt Shorts (Cal Poly) 9-5
C2: Lost by decision to May Bethea (Penn) 10-6
174 — Jonathan Schleifer
R1: Lost by fall to #15 Trace Engelkes (Northern Iowa) 5:33
C1: Won by fall over Devin Skatzka (Indiana) 5:35
C2: Lost by major decision to #16 Christian Brucki (Central Michigan) 13-5
197 — Brett Harner
R1: Lost by fall to #7 Aaron Studebaker (Nebraska) 4:52
C1: Won by fall over Jake Tindle (Southern Illinois) 1:50
C2: Lost by decision to Daniel Chaid (North Carolina) 8-4
285 — Ray O'Donnell
R1: Lost by #2 Connor Medbury (Wisconsin)
C1: Lost by fall to Ross Larson (Oklahoma) 0:40
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