Wrestling Sweeps Tri-Match on Senior Night

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University wrestling team swept a tri-match with Rhode Island College and Trinity College on Senior Night at John J. Kelly Gymnasium.

The Bears (3-6) edged Trinity, 24-21, and completed the sweep with a 22-19 victory over RIC.

BSU senior 141-pounder Andrew Valdina (Dracut, Mass.) was honored prior to the match. Valdina went 1-1 on the day with a win by fall (2:07) against Francisco Roman of RIC.

Freshman heavyweight Ryan Higgins (Billerica, Mass.) won both of his bouts as he pinned his opponent from Trinity in 4:28 and earned a 19-2 (4:31) technical fall victory over Jordan Zanni of RIC. Higgins improves to 24-8 on the season with six pins.

Freshman 125-pounder Wilson Gomes (New Bedford, Mass.), sophomore 133-pounder Caleb Lamarre (Brockton, Mass., sophomore 149-pounder Riley Tufts (Medford, N.J.), sophomore 157-pounder Devin Winn (Brockton, Mass.), sophomore 165-pounder Fox Maxwell (Wilmington, Mass.) and sophomore 197-pounder Daniel MacNeil (Woburn, Mass.) all went 1-1 on the night. Lamarre pinned (2:56) Finn McGovern of Trinity while Winn pinned (1:30) David Sheldon of RIC. Maxwell recorded a 19-0 (4:44) technical fall victory over RIC's Alexander Hom.

Bridgewater trailed late in each match. Down 21-15 to Trinity with two bouts remaining, MacNeil started the comeback with a 6-5 decision over Enrique Loya at 197. Higgins then won the match after pinning Devon deFillippi with 32 seconds left in the second period.

Trailing 19-17 to RIC, Higgins recorded his 19-2 technical fall victory with 29 seconds left in the second period to give the Bears the dramatic 22-19 victory and a sweep of the tri-match.

The Bears are off until Sunday, February 17th when several members of the squad will compete at the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Futures Tournament hosted by Trinity College.