March 2, 2007
Brackets At End of Day One in PDF Format
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FAIRFAX, VA -- The Old Dominion wrestling team compiled 28.5 team points through the first two rounds on day one of the CAA Championships. The Monarchs trail Hofstra by 17.5 points and lead Rider by just two going into the second and final day of the tournament.
Old Dominion went 12-2 on the first day including a number of big wins. Jesse Strawn (184) and Chris Brown (157) were called upon to earn points for their team in the first round and they responded with a pair of first period pins. Derek Coffey (174) also earned a first period pin the first round of the consolation bracket.
At the 125-lb. weight class, (3) Kyle Hutter was across the mat from (6) Abby Rush (Boston University). Rush was coming off a first round pin but Hutter had the advantage of the regular season victory, 4-0 at the CAA Duals. The rematch wouldn't be as close as Hutter sealed the major decision 14-5.
(2) Christian Staylor, at 133-lbs., and (4) Ryan Williams, at 141-lbs., also only got one bout in on the first day. Staylor's was an 18-1 technical fall over Bill Martin (Drexel) and Williams earned a 10-2 major decision over (5) Cory Dunn (Sacred Heart).
Six-seeded Kaylen Baxter was the first Monarch to exit the championship bracket as (3) Kyle Fried (Binghamton) defeated the redshirt freshman 6-1. Baxter would respond in the consolation bracket, however, with a 10-4 decision over George Mason's Chris Cartella.
At 157 lbs, (3) Chris Brown wrestled Scott Yorko from James Madison University. The two hadn't wrestled yet this season and Yorko would have liked to keep it that way, as Brown disposed of the Duke by pin in the 2:33. Brown then faced (6) Nate Patterson (Binghamton) and won 4-1. The redshirt freshman will start day two with a test, as he faces (2) Ryan Hluschak (Drexel) for the third time this season. The Dragon defeated Brown both times this season with a 4-3 decision at the Cornell Body Bar and a third-period pin at the CAA Duals.
(2) Nick Pullano (165) continued his conference dominance with a 12-1 major decision over James Madison's Jeff Jacobs. Pullano improves to 7-0 against conference opponents. At 174-lbs. (6) Derek Coffey lost his first round bout to (3) Nick Kozar (Drexel) in a 5-1 decision. Like Baxter, though, Coffey is still alive in the consolation bracket and responded with his third pin of the year and his first ever in the first period. He put Brendan Neary (Wagner) on the mat in 1:10.
The Monarchs grappler at 184-lbs, (3) Jesse Strawn, had the most impressive day for the Monarchs. In his two bouts, he disposed of Kyle Higgins (Campbell) in just 41 seconds and then didn't allow a point for George Mason's (6) Matt Moyer in a 10-0 major decision. Strawn will look to use that momentum as he faces the number two seed from Rider first thing in the morning, Mike Miller.
In the upper weights, Old Dominion got a 12-7 decision from David Mendoza and an 8-1 decision from Matt Pellar. Pellar will face All-American hopeful (1) Payam Zarrinpour (Sacred Heart) in his first bout Saturday. Mendoza is slated to wrestle (2) T.J. Morrison (Rider). The two have split two matches this season, both winning by just two points.
Wrestling begins at 10:00 am Saturday morning with the finals tentatively scheduled for 5:00 pm.