Two dual meets.
After topping Bloomsburg University 18-15, that’s all there is left for the Binghamton University wrestling team before it’s set to host the Colonial Athletic Association Championship Tournament on March 3 in the West Gym.
After falling last week to American University (6-3), BU stands 19th on this week’s NWCA/USA Today Division I Team Coaches Poll, dropping one position from last week. The Bearcats were deadlocked with the Eagles until the final heavyweight match, which went American’s way. But BU head coach Pat Popolizio is not attaching much significance to the loss.
“I wouldn’t say [it was unlucky to lose], but obviously we are a good enough team to beat American,” he said. “But on that night we didn’t beat them. Ultimately it is not going to change what our goals are this season. So it wasn’t the end of the season or anything like that. It was just a dual meet that we didn’t win.”
Last night, the Bearcats got back on track with a tight victory over Bloomsburg in the West Gym. Going into the match, the Huskies had been enjoying a successful season of their own with a 15-6 record in duals, accruing eight victories in their last 11. Bloomsburg also had four individuals ranked in this week’s InterMat release, including No. 9 157-pound Frank Hickman.
“On paper I would say [Bloomsburg] is the favorite,” Popolizio said prior to the match. “But the fact is we will get to prove what were capable of doing and it’s going to come down to some of our unranked wrestlers to step up and win their matches.”
Binghamton split 10 matches with the Huskies, but was able to take advantage of a technical fall in No. 20 184-pound junior Nate Schiedel’s matchup and a major decision by No. 4 junior 149-pound Donnie Vinson to earn the victory.
Freshman heavyweight Nick Gwiazdowski also contributed to the Bearcats’ victory, defeating Zachary Walsh, 12-5.
On Sunday, the Bearcats are scheduled to travel to the Village of Hempstead to face No. 22 Hofstra University (10-1). The 2011 CAA Champions were recently defeated for the first time in a dual meet this season when they fell 22-12 at Cornell University last week.
The Bearcats emerged victorious against their CAA rivals in the squads’ previous two meetings, and Popolizio is relishing another tough encounter against familiar foes.
“I think it is going be a very tight dual meet,” he said. “It is going to come down to a split where whichever team can win six matches will win that dual meet.”
After last weekend’s slip-up against American, Popolizio is keen to return to winning ways in order to maintain momentum going into the postseason, starting with Bloomsburg and Hofstra.
“I do believe we have a better tournament team than a dual meet team,” Popolizio said. “So it is not going to be the end [if we lose]. But you want to win and in any sport when you win you are going to gain confidence. We have individuals who continue to win, but as a team if we can pick these last three wins, that is a lot of confidence for the team going into the conference tournaments.”
As the season draws to a close, Popolizio is rallying his entire squad to contribute to the team’s push for success.
“Coming into the final stretch, I believe in the guys,” he said. “I believe they are capable of beating anybody. So often they have been showing that with results. With the schedule that we put together this year, I know the team has battled and we have wrestled better teams throughout the year. And I think when we get down to the nitty gritty, that’s going to show.”
The dual at Hofstra is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Mack Sports Complex.