FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The No. 2 Ithaca College wrestling team entered action on Friday looking to lay claim to being the top-ranked team in the country coming out of the NWCA National Duals. With a semifinal round consisting of four of the Top-6 ranked programs in the country, the stakes were certainly high, but unfortunately the Bombers were unable to recreate the success from the opening day of the event.
 
IC dropped hard-fought decisions to No. 3 Augsburg and No. 6 Johnson & Wales to settle for fourth at the tournament. Despite the disappointing conclusion, the fourth-place finish marks a four-spot improvement over last season's showing, while the Bombers leave the event knowing that they are right there with the nation's elite heading into the second half of the season.
 
No. 3 Augsburg College 26 – No. 2 Ithaca College 12
 
125 LB | Victor Gliva (AUGSBURG) def. Ferdinand Mase (ITHACA) DEC 9-6
133 LB | Sam Bennyhoff (AUGSBURG) def. Jimmy Kaishian (ITHACA) MD 18-5
141 LB | David Flynn (AUGSBURG) def. Bryan Israel (ITHACA) DEC 9-6
149 LB | Sammy Schneider (ITHACA) def. Ryan Epps (AUGSBURG) DEC 13-11
157 LB | Grant Parker (AUGSBURG) def. Jawan Jones (ITHACA) DEC 3-1
165 LB | Nick Velez (ITHACA) def. Lucas Jeske (AUGSBURG) MD 15-3
174 LB | Austin Boniface (AUGSBURG) def. Jaison White (ITHACA) DEC 4-3
184 LB | Owen Webster (AUGSBURG) def. Jake Ashcraft (ITHACA) MD 11-1
197 LB | Carlos Toribio (ITHACA) def. Logan Hortop (AUGSBURG) TF 16-0
285 LB | Donald Longendyke (AUGSBURG) def. Jake O'Brien (ITHACA) FALL (6:59)
 
Ithaca suffered its first set-back of the season in the morning session on Friday, falling to third-ranked Augsburg College in the semifinals of the NWCA National Duals. The Bombers won bouts at 149-, 165-, and 197-pounds, but it would not be enough in a 26-12 defeat.
 
Augsburg jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the match on the strength of victories in the opening three bouts. Seeing his first action of the week, Ferdinand Mase held a 6-4 lead into the third period, but Augsburg's Victor Gliva came roaring back with a late near-fall to pull ahead for a 9-6 decision. Nationally-ranked Sam Bennyhoff (5^th NWCA, 5^th d3wrestle.com) scored four more points for the Auggies when he raced past Ithaca's Jimmy Kaishian (7^th NWCA, 7^th d3wrestle.com) who was wrestling up from his usual position at 125-pounds. Augsburg's David Flynn completed the early scoring spurt with a comeback win over Bryan Israel (7^th NWCA, 2^nd d3wrestle.com) who also was wrestling one weight-class higher at 141-pounds. Like Mase, Israel also jumped out to an early lead, but was unable to hold it in a 9-6 decision.
 
Ithaca got on the board at 149-pounds when Sammy Schneider (2^nd NWCA, 3^rd d3wrestle.com) kept up his winning ways with a 13-11 decision over Ryan Epps. The IC rookie scored five takedowns in the first two periods, before holding off a furious charge from Epps down the stretch.
 
Facing a turning point bout at 157 pounds, Jawan Jones battled valiantly against nationally-ranked Grant Parker (3^rd NWCA, 6^th d3wrestle.com). The Auggies grappler was able to hold off Jones in a tactical defensive battle, finishing in a 3-1 decision. The result reestablished Augsburg's 10-point advantage heading into the second half of the match.
 
Nick Velez (4^th NWCA, 7^th d3wrestle.com) attempted to jump start IC with a dominant performance in his 165-pound bout. He scored a much-needed 15-3 major decision, narrowly missing out on the technical fall. The four-points brought Ithaca within striking distance at 13-7. Starting to feel momentum, the Ithaca comeback was again stymied in the subsequent bout, as Augsburg was able to pull out another razor-thin decision. Jaison White and Austin Boniface entered the final period tied, but the Auggie grappler was able to score the clutch takedown to eke out a 4-3 decision.
 
Needing a victory to stay alive in the match, Augsburg's final nationally-ranked wrestler Owen Webster (2^nd NWCA, 4^th d3wrestle.com) picked up an 11-1 major decision over Jake Ashcraft (10^th d3wsrestle.com). The result put the Auggies up 20-7 with two bouts remaining, effectively clinching the match.
 
Carlos Toribio (6^th NWCA, 7^th d3wrestle.com) continued his strong performances with his third 16-0 technical fall victory of the tournament. He dominated from the outset against Logan Hortop, ending the bout in the second period. However, Jake O'Brien was pinned just inside the buzzer to bring the final score to 26-12.
 
No. 6 Johnson & Wales 28 – No. 2 Ithaca College 12
 
125 LB | Bobby Jordan (J&W) def. Jimmy Kaishian (ITHACA) DEC 6-5
133 LB | Jay Albis (J&W) def. Ferdinand Mase (ITHACA) DEC 8-2
141 LB | Joseph Ferinde (J&W) def. Bryan Israel (ITHACA) DEC 7-5
149 LB | Sammy Schneider (ITHACA) def. DJ Tirelli (J&W) TF 22-7
157 LB | Daniel McBrinn (J&W) def. Jawan Jones (ITHACA) DEC 3-2
165 LB | Dale White (J&W) def. Nik Hansen (ITHACA) MD 12-4
174 LB | Stephen Jarrell (J&W) def. Jaison White (ITHACA) FALL (4:14)
184 LB | Jake Ashcraft (ITHACA) def. Michael Labell (J&W) DEC 6-0
197 LB | Carlos Toribio (ITHACA) def. Michael DiNardo (J&W) MD 10-1
285 LB | Jonah Aurelia (J&W) wins by forfeit
 
Ithaca wrapped up the NWCA National Duals against a familiar opponent when it took on sixth-ranked Johnson & Wales in the third-place match. Although Ithaca has come out on top at two invitationals in which both teams have participated, Friday afternoon was a different story, as the Wildcats outpaced the Bombers 28-12. The loss dropped IC to fourth-place overall at the tournament, but still a four spot improvement over last year's eight-place finish.
 
Like during the morning session, Ithaca found itself needing to dig out of an early deficit after falling behind 9-0 courtesy of three decisions at 125-, 133-, and 141-pounds. It was extremely slim margins in two of those defeats, as Jimmy Kaishian (7^th NWCA, 7^th d3wrestle.com) came up just short in a 6-5 decision against Bobby Jordan. Israel (7^th NWCA, 2^nd d3wrestle.com), searching for his first dual-meet victory at the tournament, was locked in a 5-5 tie late in the third period against Joseph Ferinde, but the Johnson & Wales grappler was able to take Israel to the mat as time expired in a 7-5 decision.
 
Schneider (2^nd NWCA, 3^rd d3wrestle.com) continued to stake his claim as being the number-one contender at 149-pounds with another dominant showing. He capped off a 4-0 record at the National Duals with a 22-7 technical fall over the Wildcats' DJ Tirelli to close the Ithaca deficit to 9-5.
 
Similar to the match against Augsburg, the swing bout at 157-pounds went down to the wire between the Wildcats' Daniel McBrinn and Ithaca's Jawan Jones. The Bombers wrestler nearly scored the huge upset during the morning session, but fell just short. The afternoon saw him again take matters to the very end, before he fell in a 3-2 decision.
 
Johnson & Wales sealed the match over the ensuing two bouts, scoring bonus points on a major decision and pin-fall to widen the gap to an insurmountable 22-5. IC picked up victories at both 184 pounds and 197 pounds to close the margin, but it would not be enough. Ashcraft wrapped up his tournament on a high note with a 6-0 decision over Michael Labell, while Toribio closed out his 4-0 performance at the event with a 10-1 major decision over Michael DiNardo.
 
Looking Ahead
Ithaca returns to action on Sunday, January 15, when it welcomes LIU-Post for a dual-meet at Ben Light Gymnasium. Action is slated to begin at 12:00 p.m.