Cards Clinch Winning Season with 2-0-1 Mark Against Three NEWA Opponents, Including #2 RIC

2.1.09

Hosting their second quad-match against three visiting NEWA opponents over successive weekends, the Cardinals clinched a winning record for the 2008-09 season by downing M.I.T., 30-16, and Springfield, 31-7, while tying R.I.C., a team ranked second in the region and 25th nationally, 21-21, on Sat. Jan 31.

With the latest national rankings released Jan. 27, both 125-pounder Dan Bloom '10 and 174-pounder Greg Hurd '10 moved up in their weight class, each holding the eighth spot in the country. Ten of the 100 wrestlers ranked in the 10 weight classes are from NEWA colleges including two at #1. Against R.I.C., Hurd (main photo) and Bloom (photo insert upper right) were instrumental in Wesleyan's success as Hurd posted a technical fall to account for five team points while Bloom logged a second-period pin for six team points. The drama built as Wesleyan trailed by three points heading into the final bout and Vin deLalla '12 (photo insert lower left) came through with a 9-7 decision to secure the tie. Also winning for Wesleyan in the match were Josh Berkovic '10 with a major decision at 165 and heavyweight Dave Amrhein '12, with an overtime decision. Berkovic and Hurd both went 3-0 on the afternoon.

The Cardinals closed out the dual-meet campaign on Sun., Feb. 8, hosting Oneonta St. and Williams. Wesleyan fell by the slimmest of margins to Oneonta, 18-17, while Williams captured six of the 10 bouts to secure a 24-13 victory. Wesleyan finished the dual-match season with a 9-6-1 record.

Hurd finished undefeated in duals this season as he upped his mark to 16-0, 31-2 overall. He was named NEWA Wrestler of the Week for the week ending Feb. 8. Bloom suffered his first dual-match loss, a 6-5 decision vs. M.IT., and also fell to a returning NCAA qualifier from Williams whom he had beaten earlier in the season, but still ended with a lofty 12-2 record, 28-3 overall. Berkovic is also high on the list with a 14-2 dual-match mark and 27-8 record overall.

The next action for the team will involve a number of non-starters who will compete in the NEWA Junior Varsity Championships at Springfield Sun. Feb. 15. The final varsity action will be Sat.-Sun., Feb. 21-22 when the NEWA individual champions will be crowned at Springfield with qualification to the NCAA Division III Championships on the line.