WASHINGTON, D.C. - The 16th-ranked Navy wrestling team (6-0, 1-0) posted its second shutout victory of the season by a score of 38-0 against American (4-4, 0-1) on Thursday night at Bender Arena in Washington, D.C.
The Mids claimed wins in all 10 bouts and earned bonus points in five (141, 165, 174, 197, 285) to defeat their first Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) opponent this season. Additionally, Navy shut out an EIWA foe for the first time since 1989 when it beat Franklin & Marshall, 37-0.
"I thought the team looked really good and sharp tonight. We just came out of finals week so there is always concern about how you're going to look," said head coach
Cary Kolat. "Training isn't where you want it because guys need time to study, but we looked very good tonight. I thought the timing of the dual at this time of the year was great for them. This is a great way for them to head into the Christmas break. Guys can relax a bit and get back into it when we return."
The dual began with a tight match at 125 pounds between
Dayton DelViscio and Shamil Kalmatov. Kalmatov took a 3-0 lead with a takedown in the first period. DelViscio scored the next five points from a pair of escapes and a takedown in the second period. Kalmatov took the lead back with his second takedown in the third period, but DelViscio quickly regained the advantage with a reversal and a four-point near fall to go ahead, 11-7.Â
The 133-pound bout between No. 22
Brendan Ferretti and Maximilian Leete went into sudden victory tied, 1-1, after both wrestlers scored an escape in regulation. Ferretti ended the match 11 seconds into overtime with a takedown to win by a 4-1 decision to give the Mids a 6-0 lead.Â
Nineteenth-ranked
Josh Koderhandt (141) earned the first bonus point of the dual by defeating Raymond Lopez by a 14-5 major decision. Koderhandt scored a takedown in the first and second periods to take a 7-2 lead into the third. He added another two takedowns in the final two minutes and garnered another point by securing 1:49 of riding time. The win gave Navy a 10-0 advantage in the dual.
Luke Lucerne (149) then made his first appearance in a dual meet to face Ryan Zimmerman. Lucerne immediately took control with four takedowns in the opening period to jump out to a 12-3 lead.
Â
Lucerne was awarded a point in the third period for a technical violation against Zimmerman. Lucerne held off a late push by Zimmerman to win by a 13-7 decision and extend the lead to 13-0.
Jonathan Ley (157) took a 3-0 lead with a takedown 25 seconds into his match against Jack Nies. Nies answered with a pair of escapes to make the score, 3-2, entering the third period. Ley started the final period with an escape and then scored his second takedown with 1:06 left on the clock to gain a 7-2 cushion.
Ley only surrendered an escape in the final minute to win by a 7-3 decision, giving the Mids a 16-point lead on the scoreboard.Â
Andrew Cerniglia (165), who entered the match ranked 20th in the nation, defeated Breon Phifer by a 16-0 technical fall (4:17). Cerniglia led, 7-0, after three minutes thanks to a takedown and a four-point near fall. He scored another seven points with a takedown and a four-point near fall in the second period to take a 14-0 lead.Â
Cerniglia ended the match at the 4:27 mark with a two-point near fall to put Navy ahead, 21-0.Â
Danny Wask (174) took the mat next with an opportunity to clinch the dual for the Mids against Lucas White. The 19th-best wrestler in the 174-pound weight class scored a takedown just 18 seconds into the match to take a 3-0 lead. Wask went ahead, 5-0, with a reversal in the second period. The freshman then scored a huge takedown with 17 seconds remaining in the match to take an eight-point lead.
Wask held White scoreless for the remainder of the match and added the riding time point (2:27) to win by a 9-0 major decision. His win clinched the dual by extending Navy's lead to 25-0 with only three bouts remaining.Â
After scoring an escape, No. 27
David Key (184) racked up 1:49 of riding time to beat Connor Bourne by a 2-0 decision. Key recorded the third-straight shutout for the Mids to give them a 28-0 lead in the dual.Â
Jacob Lucas (197) scored big to claim a 16-4 major decision over Liam Volk-Klos. Lucas quickly put seven points on the scoreboard with a takedown and a four-point near fall.
Lucas scored another takedown in the second period and held a 10-2 lead going into the final two minutes of the match. Lucas gained a 10-point advantage with a reversal early in the third period. After an escape by Volk-Klos, Lucas scored his third takedown to take a 15-3 lead. Lucas would finish the match with 2:26 of riding time to win by a major decision and put Navy ahead, 32-0.Â
Fourteenth-ranked
Grady Griess capped off the dual with a win by fall (2:35) against Emmanuel Ulrich.
The Mids will step away from competition during the holiday period and be back in action for the Franklin & Marshall Open. The tournament is slated for Friday, Jan. 5 at 9 a.m.
Match Notes
• Navy is 6-0 for the first time since the 2017-18 season
• The Mids have won their last eight duals dating back to last season, which is their longest winning streak since they won 10-consecutive duals between the 2004-05 and 2005-06 campaigns
• Navy held an opponent scoreless for the second time this season. The Mids hadn't posted multiple shutouts in a single season since 2020-21 when they defeated Cleveland State (37-0) and George Mason (44-0)
• Navy has scored at least 20 points in all six duals this season and has outscored its opponents, 188-48
• The Mids have won 46 of the 60 bouts in duals this season and have earned bonus points in 22 of their wins (47.8)
• Navy improved to 15-2 in duals against American and 9-0 in Washington, D.C.Â
• The Mids have scored 30 or more points in nine of their 17 duals against the Eagles
• Navy has won its last four road matches. The Mids are on their longest winning streak away from home since the 2011-12 / 2012-13 seasons when they won six in a row
• Navy was bumped up to No. 16 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division I Top 25 Poll, which was announced Thursday afternoon
• Coach Kolat claimed his first victory against the Eagles after dropping the previous four meetings as the head coach at Campbell
• Ferretti and Koderhandt both improved to, 5-0, in duals this season. The two are tied as the team leader in dual wins this season
• Koderhandt has won his last 10 dual matches dating back to last season and leads to team with 21 dual wins in his career
• Ferretti claimed his sixth-straight dual win dating back to last season. The sophomore is now 12-3 (80.0) in duals in his career. Additionally, Ferretti won the second overtime match of his career
• Lucerne won the first dual match in his collegiate career. He is the 12th mid to win their first dual match this season
• Griess defeated his 18th opponent by fall in his career. He is now tied with Koderhandt for the most wins by fall on the team. Navy's team captain improved to 13-3 this season and 4-1 in duals
• Cerniglia increased his winning percentage in duals to a team-leading 81.8 percent (18 of 22). The Nazareth, Pa., native also won his ninth match by technical fall in his career
• Wask picked up his second dual win of the season and won his first match by major decision
• DelViscio has scored 29 points in his two dual wins this season. The junior is now 5-3 in dual matches in his career
• Key won the 19th dual match of his career and owns a 4-1 record in duals this season
• Ley won his first match since the Navy Classic (Nov. 18). He improved to 3-2 in duals during his freshman campaign
• Lucas remained undefeated in duals after picking up his third dual victory of the season. The Carlisle, Pa., native also recorded his fifth win by major decision as a mid
Navy vs. American Dual Results
125 |
Dayton DelViscio (Navy) dec Shamil Kalmatov (American), 11-10 // Navy 3, American 0
133 | No. 22
Brendan Ferretti (Navy) dec Maximilian Leete (American), 4-1 SV1 // Navy 6, American 0
141 | No. 19
Josh Koderhandt (Navy) major Raymond Lopez (American), 14-5 // Navy 10, American 0
149 |
Luke Lucerne (Navy) dec Ryan Zimmerman (American), 13-7 // Navy 13, American 0
157 |
Jonathan Ley (Navy) dec Jack Nies (American), 7-3 // Navy 16, American 0
165 | No. 20
Andrew Cerniglia (Navy) tech fall Breon Phifer (American), 16-0 (4:17) // Navy 21, American 0
174 | No. 19
Danny Wask (Navy) major Lucas White (American), 9-0 // Navy 25, American 0
184 | No. 27
David Key (Navy) dec Connor Bourne (American), 2-0 // Navy 28, American 0
197 |
Jacob Lucas (Navy) major Liam Volk-Klos (American), 16-4 // Navy 32, American 0
285 | No. 14
Grady Griess (Navy) fall Emmanuel Ulrich (American), 2:35 // Navy 38, American 0
Â
