Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Midlands Day 1
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Ayala Stuns 3rd-Ranked Foe, Joins Schleifer In Semifinals At 53rd Midlands
December 30, 2015 | Wrestling
Senior Abram Ayala, a two-time NCAA Championships qualifier, posted one of the biggest upsets of the day at the 53rd Midlands Championships, and it ended a highly impressive first day for the Tigers, who currently stand seventh among 43 teams. He will join sophomore Jon Schleifer in the semifinal round, while Brett Harner remains in the hunt for placewinner status at one of the nation's most prestigious collegiate tournaments.
The semifinal round will begin at 1 pm Eastern time, while the finals will be televised live on the Big Ten Network at 9 pm Eastern. The Midlands are held at Welsh-Ryan Arena at Northwestern.
Ayala, the seventh seed at 184, won two matches, including one over the 10th seed, to set up a quarterfinal showdown with second-seeded Jack Dechow of Old Dominion. Dechow, currently ranked third at the weight by InterMat, entered the match as both unbeaten on the season and as the reigning Midlands champion.
Ayala made sure he left with both a loss and no chance to repeat. The Tiger senior pulled off an 8-7 upset to advance to the Midlands semifinal for the first time in his career. He will face third-seeded Timothy Dudley of Nebraska during Wednesday's semifinal session; Dudley defeated Ayala 7-5 in sudden victory during a team dual at the 2015 Grapple at the Garden.
That will be the first of two Princeton-Nebraska rematches in the semifinal round. Schleifer, the third seed at 174, will face second-seeded Micah Barnes in the same round. Barnes defeated Schleifer 7-4 at the Grapple at the Garden, but Schleifer will enter the Wednesday's match on a run of three straight wins, including a second-period fall in the Round of 16.
Schleifer, Princeton's first Ivy League Rookie of the Year, is in one of two brackets (149 is the other) where form held at the semifinal round.
Harner, seeded fourth at 197, can still place as high as third, but he dropped a 3-1 match in sudden victory in the quarterfinal round to fifth-seeded Aaron Studebaker of Nebraska. After a fall and a sudden victory win of his own, Harner couldn't manage a takedown against Studebaker and will open the consolation round against Austin Coburn of Old Dominion; a win in that match would assure Harner of a placewinner finish for the second straight year.
The rest of the Princeton lineup fell short of the placewinner matches, but there were several strong performances throughout the day. Junior Jordan Laster fell to former EIWA champion Richard Durso by one point, while both Ray O'Donnell and Troy Murtha were eliminated in their final matches of the evening.
Midlands Results for PrincetonMidlands 125 - Pat D`Arcy's place is unknown and has scored 1.50 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Tim Lambert (Nebraska) won by decision over Pat D`Arcy (Princeton) (Dec 4-2)
Cons. Round 1 - Pat D`Arcy (Princeton) won by major decision over Bill Prochniewski (George Mason) (Maj 14-5)
Cons. Round 2 - Kris Williams (Nebraska) won in tie breaker - 1 over Pat D`Arcy (Princeton) (TB-1 4-3)
Midlands 133 - Trey Aslanian's place is unknown and has scored 0.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Trey Aslanian (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Geoffrey Alexander (Maryland) won by fall over Trey Aslanian (Princeton) (Fall 5:50)
Cons. Round 2 - Trey Aslanian (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 3 - Godwin Cutler (Grand View) won by major decision over Trey Aslanian (Princeton) (Maj 9-1)
Midlands 141 - Jordan Laster's place is unknown and has scored 3.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Jordan Laster (Princeton) won by major decision over Tanner Stephens (Old Dominion) (Maj 14-5)
Champ. Round 2 - Jordan Laster (Princeton) won by decision over Jason Isparides (Northwestern) (Dec 11-4)
Champ. Round 3 - Rick Durso (Franklin & Marshall) won by decision over Jordan Laster (Princeton) (Dec 4-3)
Cons. Round 4 - Kyle Springer (Eastern Michigan) won by decision over Jordan Laster (Princeton) (Dec 6-4)
Midlands 149 - Mike D`Angelo's place is unknown and has scored 0.50 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Mike D`Angelo (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Matthew Kraus (Arizona St.) won by decision over Mike D`Angelo (Princeton) (Dec 9-3)
Cons. Round 2 - Mike D`Angelo (Princeton) won by decision over Elijah Sullivan (Grand View) (Dec 10-5)
Cons. Round 3 - Cullen Cummings (Ohio U.) won by decision over Mike D`Angelo (Princeton) (Dec 8-3)
Midlands 157 - Nick Maselli's place is unknown and has scored 0.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Thomas Gantt (North Carolina State) won by tech fall over Nick Maselli (Princeton) (TF 19-3)
Cons. Round 1 - Nick Maselli (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 - Devin Geoghegan (Old Dominion) won by decision over Nick Maselli (Princeton) (Dec 9-4)
Midlands 157 - Francesco Fabozzi's place is unknown and has scored 0.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Shayne Tucker (Oklahoma) won by decision over Francesco Fabozzi (Princeton) (Dec 9-5)
Cons. Round 1 - Francesco Fabozzi (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 - Brock Wingbermuehle (Oklahoma) won by fall over Francesco Fabozzi (Princeton) (Fall 4:31)
Midlands 165 - Judd Ziegler's place is unknown and has scored 3.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Judd Ziegler (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Judd Ziegler (Princeton) won by major decision over Colston DiBlasi (Iowa St.) (Maj 13-2)
Champ. Round 3 - Chad Welch (Purdue) won by fall over Judd Ziegler (Princeton) (Fall 1:26)
Cons. Round 4 - Austin Reese (Ohio U.) won by decision over Judd Ziegler (Princeton) (Dec 4-2)
Midlands 174 - Jonathan Schleifer's place is 6th and has scored 11.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Jonathan Schleifer (Princeton) won by decision over Nicky Hall (North Carolina State) (Dec 4-1)
Champ. Round 2 - Jonathan Schleifer (Princeton) won by fall over Wayne Stinson (Rider) (Fall 3:36)
Quarterfinal - Jonathan Schleifer (Princeton) won by decision over Jacob Holschlag (Northern Iowa) (Dec 9-5)
Midlands 184 - Abram Ayala's place is 6th and has scored 13.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Abram Ayala (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Abram Ayala (Princeton) won by fall over Josh Casperson (South Dakota State) (Fall 3:26)
Champ. Round 3 - Abram Ayala (Princeton) won by major decision over Cody Caldwell (Northern Iowa) (Maj 14-5)
Quarterfinal - Abram Ayala (Princeton) won by decision over Jack Dechow (Old Dominion) (Dec 8-7)
Midlands 197 - Brett Harner's place is unknown and has scored 4.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Brett Harner (Princeton) won by fall over James Benjamin (Buffalo) (Fall 1:32)
Champ. Round 2 - Brett Harner (Princeton) won in sudden victory - 1 over Ryan Wolfe (Rider) (SV-1 3-1)
Quarterfinal - Aaron Studebaker (Nebraska) won in sudden victory - 1 over Brett Harner (Princeton) (SV-1 3-1)
Midlands 197 - Troy Murtha's place is unknown and has scored 3.50 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Troy Murtha (Princeton) won by fall over Shawn Scott (Northern Illinois) (Fall 0:59)
Champ. Round 2 - Hayden Hrymack (Rutgers) won by decision over Troy Murtha (Princeton) (Dec 4-1)
Cons. Round 2 - Troy Murtha (Princeton) won by decision over Lance Benick (Arizona St.) (Dec 6-4)
Cons. Round 3 - Austin Coburn (Old Dominion) won by decision over Troy Murtha (Princeton) (Dec 5-4)
Midlands 285 - Ray O`Donnell's place is unknown and has scored 4.50 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Ray O`Donnell (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Ray O`Donnell (Princeton) won by decision over Zachary Chakonis (Northwestern) (Dec 4-1)
Champ. Round 3 - Blaize Cabell (Northern Iowa) won by decision over Ray O`Donnell (Princeton) (Dec 11-4)
Cons. Round 4 - Ray O`Donnell (Princeton) won by fall over Jacob Aven (Purdue) (Fall 6:36)
Cons. Round 5 - Quean Smith (Iowa St.) won in sudden victory - 1 over Ray O`Donnell (Princeton) (SV-1 3-1)
Midlands 285 - Jake Moore's place is unknown and has scored 0.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Conan Jennings (Northwestern) won by decision over Jake Moore (Princeton) (Dec 2-0)
Cons. Round 1 - Jake Moore (Princeton) received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 - Youssif Hemida (Maryland) won by tech fall over Jake Moore (Princeton) (TF 17-2)