1/12/2002 - Wrestling
Navy Wrestling Team Edges Rutgers, 19-16

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PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Navy wrestling team broke a three-match losing streak Saturday afternoon, defeating the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 19-16.

"Mike Simon (Jr./North Canton, Ohio) had a big win for us today," Navy head coach Bruce Burnett said. "We wrestled a little better than we have, but we still had some errors that need to be corrected. We got a big win from Mark Conley (Sr./Exton, Pa.), who moved up a weight class and responded with a win. Daniel Hemminger (So./Annapolis, Md.) stepped in for Conley and did a good job. Mike Bigrigg (Sr./Santa Ana, Calif.) also came through with a great win."

Navy (5-4) jumped out to a 9-0 lead, winning the first-three matches, beginning at the 141-pound weight class.

Hemminger scored a 6-2 win over Ken Rodriguez in the 141-pound weight class. Conley stepped up a weight class and defeated Rutgers' Greg Austin, 3-1, in the 149-pound weight class. Mike Carbonaro (So./Blairstown, N.J.) wrestled to a 5-0 win over Chris Ressa in the 157-pound weight class.

Rutgers (1-5) won the next three matches, giving the Scarlet Knights a 13-9 advantage going into the final four matches.

Bigrigg easily defeated Ryan McGrath in the 197-pound weight class, 6-1. Navy's Steve Kovach (Jr./Parkesburg, Pa.) followed with a 5-3 victory in overtime against Frank Sabatino in the heavyweight division.

In the 125-pound weight class, Rutgers' Andrew Uhrlass narrowly outlasted Sam Gray (Fr./Essex, Vt.), 8-7, giving the Scarlet Knights a 16-15 lead with one match remaining.

However, Simon made sure the Mids came home victorious with a convincing, 20-7, decision over Andrew Tilles in the 133-pound weight class.

Navy returns to action Wednesday when the Mids play host to the Maryland Terrapins at 7 p.m.

Navy 19        Rutgers 16
125 - Andrew Uhrlass (R) dec. Sam Gray (N), 8-7
133 - Mike Simon (N) dec. Andrew Tilles (R), 20-7
141 - Dan Hemminger (N) dec. Ken Rodriguez (R), 6-2
149 - Mark Conley (N) dec. Greg Austin (R), 3-1
157 - Mike Carbonaro (N) dec. Chris Ressa (R), 5-0
165 - Bryon Lauer (R) dec. Luke Lazzo (N), 5-4
174 - Justin Haskins (R) dec. Mike Barikian (N), 14-5
184 - Tom Tanis (R) pinned Travis Manion (N), 4:48
197 - Mike Bigrigg (N) dec. Ryan McGrath (N), 6-1
HWT - Steve Kovach (N) dec. Frank Sabatino (R), 5-3 (ot)