In the second year since the return of the Binghamton wrestling program, the team has already looked quite a bit better than last season’s. The Bearcats captured their first dual meet victory of the season this weekend, winning 36-5 over Princeton, after failing to win a single dual meet all of last year.

Binghamton headed to Guilderland, N.Y., this weekend to take part in the fourth annual Journeyman/Brute Northeast Duals. Eight teams were invited to the event, four of which were ranked in the nation’s top 25.

After being toppled 45-0 by top-ranked Pennsylvania in the first match and losing to Bloomsburg 40-10 in the second match, the Bearcats pinned down the elusive win in the finale against the Tigers.

The Bearcats won eight of the 10 matches against Princeton, including three by pin and one by technical fall. Freshmen Kareem Naguib, Josh Patterson and Ed Backus all registered pins for the Bearcats, while Mike Kleeman won 19-3 by technical fall.

Backus and Patterson picked up the Bearcats’ two wins versus Bloomsburg in the earlier match.

The Bearcats return to action this Saturday, when they will head to Bucknell for a dual meet against the Bisons.

No. 14 Penn 45, Binghamton 0

125 – Matt Eveleth (P) dec. Mike Kleeman (BU) 7-3

133 – No. 1 Matt Valenti (P) maj. dec. Kareem Naguib (BU) 17-4

141 – Rick Rappo (P) maj. dec. Patrick Sandberg (BU) 12-4

149 – Rob Hitschler (P) dec. Nate Patterson (BU) 10-8 (ot)

157 – No. 4 Matt Dragon (P) WBF Kyle Fried (BU) 1:14

165 – Zack Shanaman (P) WBF Sam Sirota (BU) 1:04

174 – No. 2 Matt Herrington (P) maj. dec. Josh Patterson (BU) 10-2

184 – Lior Zamir (P) Corey Waite TF (BU) 19-3

197 – Jack Sullivan (P) maj. dec. Ed Backus (BU) 13-5

Hwt. – Ben Reiter (P) won by forfeit

Binghamton 36, Princeton 5

125 – Mike Kleeman (BU) TF Nikhil Pereira-Kamath (P) 19-3

133 – Kareem Naguib (BU) WBF Jeff Kirchick (P) 1:10

141 – Steve Savin (P) dec. Patrick Sandberg (BU) 5-2

149 – Kyle Fried (BU) dec. Jesse Palermo (P) 9-2

157 – Nate Patterson (BU) maj. dec. Mike Alvarez (P), 11-0

165 – Bret Terry (BU) dec. Alex Enriquez (P) 7-4

174 – Sam Sirota (BU) dec. John Clore (P) 10-3

184 – Josh Patterson (BU) WBF Oliver Noteware (P) 2:47

197 – Zach Morse (P) dec. Corey Waite (BU) 1-0

Hwt. – Ed Backus (BU) WBF Kris Berr (P) 5:41

Bloomsburg 40, Binghamton 10

125 – Jason Guffey (Bloom) dec. Mike Kleeman (BU) 3-0

133 – Ricky Donald (Bloom) WBF Kareem Naguib (BU)

141 – Darren Kern (Bloom) WBF Patrick Sandberg (BU) 1:03

149 – Matt Moley (Bloom) dec. Nate Patterson (BU) 4-1

157 – Dennis Bermudez (Bloom) WBF Bret Terry (BU) 6:18

165 – Rick Schmelyun (Bloom) WBF Sam Sirota (BU) 1:21

174 – Josh Patterson (BU) TF Brian Shaw (Bloom) 15-0

184 – Nate Shirk (Bloom) dec. Corey Waite (BU)

197 – Ed Backus (BU) WBF Shaw (Bloom) 0:51

Hwt – Mike Spaid (Bloom) won by forfeit