NEW YORK, N.Y.—The Big Red wrestling team notched two wins on Saturday after shutting out Hofstra, 42-0, and following with a 40-3 victory over Columbia. Junior Cam Simaz pinned both of his opponents to total 100 career victories. Senior Mack Lewnes and sophomore Kyle Dake also boasted two pins in as many matches for the day. Cornell improves to 9-1 for the season and is 1-0 in Ivy League action.

Before the dual began, Hofstra and Cornell wrestled two exhibition matches. At 141 pounds, Mike Nevinger won an 11-0 major decision over Mike Doria. Cornell followed with another victory, when Jesse Shanaman won by a 10-2 major decision over Jeff Rotella at 157 pounds.

The dual opened at 125 pounds with No. 10 Frank Perrelli facing Steve Bonanno. After a scoreless first period, Bonanno escaped from his opening down position to start the second. With 30 seconds left in the period, Perrelli countered a shot by Bonanno for a takedown. Bonanno escaped to take a 2-2 tie into the third. Perrelli made a quick escape to start the third after working to his feet and twisting free of the Hofstra wrestler. The two wrestlers scrambled late in the period, and Perrelli came out on top for a takedown to win a 5-2 decision.

At 133 pounds, No. 6 Mike Grey picked up a win by forfeit to earn six team points for Cornell. The Big Red took a 9-0 team lead, and Grey improved to 3-0 for the season.

Senior Corey Manson took down Vince Varela with a double leg in the first period at 141 pounds. Varela quickly escaped and took a 3-2 lead with a takedown of his own. Varela escaped to open the second period, but Manson tied the bout with a takedown. The Big Red wrestler quickly escaped to open the third period. With less than a minute left in the bout, Manson notched another takedown to take a 7-4 lead. Varela escaped, and after Manson was hit with his second stall warning the pride wrestler was within a point of his Big Red counterpart. Manson held strong and won a 7-6 decision.

At 149 pounds, No. 3 Kyle Dake quickly took a 4-0 lead over Matt Spataro with a takedown and two quick back points. Dake immediately worked to turn his opponent again and won by fall in 1:33.

No. 11 DJ Meagher held a 2-0 lead with a takedown in the first period against Tyler Banks at 157 pounds. Meagher chose to start the second period down on the mat and immediately reversed his opponent. The Big Red wrestler held a 6-2 advantage after two periods after adding a takedown. Banks escaped from his opening down position in the third period, but Meagher took him down again. With 4:56 in riding time, Meagher won a 9-3 decision.

At 165 pounds, freshman Craig Eifert took on No. 14 PJ Gillespie. Gillespie held a 2-1 lead after the first period. Gillespie escaped from his opening down position to start the second period. Eifert tied the bout with a takedown, but the Big Red wrestler shocked his ranked opponent when he turned him to his back and won by fall in 4:46. With six team points, Cornell increased its lead to 27-0.

With 15 seconds left in the first period at 174 pounds, Mack Lewnes converted on a low double to take down No. 16 Ryan Patrovich. Patrovich chose to start the second period down. Lewnes took advantage of his opponent's choice and turned him to win by fall in 3:33.

At 184 pounds, No. 6 Steve Bosak was scoreless against Ben Clymer in the first period. Clymer chose to start the second period down, but he was unable to escape Bosak for the entire two minutes. Bosak chose to start the third down, and within 30 seconds had a reversal. With 2:30 in riding time, Bosak won a 3-0 decision.

No. 1 Simaz wrestled Matt Loew at 197 pounds. Simaz quickly took down the rookie early in the first period. The Big Red wrestler allowed Loew to escape only to take him down once again. Simaz quickly tilted his opponent and picked up his 99th career victory, winning by fall in 1:41.

In the last match of the dual, Stryker Lane squared off against Paul Snyder at heavyweight. Lane took down the pride wrestler in the first period and road him out. Snyder chose down in the second period, but was unable to escape. Snyder let Lane up from his opening down position to start the third period looking to score. Neither wrestler put more points on the board, and with 2:36 in riding time Lane won a 4-0 decision.

Cornell vs. Columbia


Cornell's first Ivy League bout of the year began at 125 pounds where Perrelli faced Penn Gottfried. Perrelli took a quick lead with a takedown at the beginning of the first period. Gottfried escaped and took his only lead of the bout with a takedown at the edge of the mat. When the action was brought back to center Perrelli immediately escaped and notched another takedown. The Big Red wrestler grabbed another takedown in the second period. Perrelli went to work in the third period scoring three takedowns to win a 15-7 major decision.

At 133 pounds, Grey took down Matt Bystol a little less than a minute into the first period. Grey was working to tilt his opponent looking for back points, when Bystol was able to wiggle away for an escape. Less than 20 seconds later, Grey took him down once again. The Big Red senior built a 7-2 lead after the second period with an opening escape and another takedown. Grey dominated his opponent in the third period collecting five takedowns to win an 18-7 major decision.

Manson faced off against Josh Houldworth at 141 pounds. The Big Red senior held a slight 2-1 lead after the first period with a takedown from which Houldworth escaped. Houldworth escaped from his opening bottom position in the second period, only to have Manson convert on a double leg for a takedown seven seconds later. Manson notched another takedown with 19 seconds left in the second. Manson followed Grey's and Perrelli's example in the third period commandeering three more takedowns on his way to a 14-5 major decision.

At 149 pounds, Dake energetically hit the mat against Tom DiVitantonio. Only 44 seconds into the bout, the Big Red sophomore quickly took his opponent down and immediately titled him to his back. Dake won by fall in 1:35.
Meagher took on Jake O'Hara at 157 pounds. The Big Red wrestler grabbed two takedowns in the opening period. O'Hara chose to start the second period down and after a minute escaped. With 18 seconds left in the period, Meagher grabbed hold of both of O'Hara's legs for a takedown. Meagher chose to start the third period in the bottom position and within 10 seconds had a reversal. O'Hara would escape, but with another takedown and riding time, Meagher won an 11-5 decision.

At 165 pounds, Eifert faced Eren Civan. The two were tied up midway through the first period, and Civan took the early lead coming out on top. Civan escaped from his opening bottom position in the second period, but Eifert would grab two takedowns before the period was over. The Big Red rookie took his opponent down once again in the third period and earned a 9-4 decision.

At 174 pounds, Lewnes notched two takedowns in the first period over Stephen West and nearly had him pinned before the referee stopped the action for a potentially dangerous position. Lewnes chose to start the second down and made his escape. With another takedown, he took a 10-1 lead into the third period. West chose to start the third at neutral. Lewnes took him down with only 12 seconds off the clock and won by fall in 6:20.

Bosak squared off against Nick Mills at 184 pounds. Midway through the first Bosak took Mills down and road him out for the remainder of the period. Bosak escaped from his opening down position in the second period and with 37 seconds left in the bout took him down once again. Mills chose to start the third period at neutral. Bosak grabbed two more takedowns and with riding time won a 10-1 major decision.

At 197 pounds, Simaz made quick work of Mike Puhpak. The Big Red junior took him down and turned him to win by fall in 1:14 for his 100th career victory. With his second pin of the day, Simaz has 10 falls for the season.

At heavyweight, Lane wrestled Kevin Lester. With 30 seconds left in the first period, Lane took down his opponent but Lester quickly escaped. Lester escaped from his opening down position in the second period and with 10 seconds left in the period took down Lane. Lane reversed Lester, but the call was taken back later because it was argued that the clock did not start on time. Lane was given one point for an escape. Lane chose to start the third period down, and escaped from his down position. His escape was not quick enough and with 1:04 in riding time Lester won a controversial 5-4 decision.

Cornell will wrestle its final two home matches of the season next weekend. The Big Red will play host to Princeton on Friday for a 6:30 p.m. contest and will welcome Penn on Saturday at 1 p.m.



#1 Cornell 45, Hofstra 0
125: No. 10 Frank Perrelli (Cornell) dec. Steve Bonanno (Hofstra), 5-2 (Cornell, 3-0)
133: No. 6 Mike Grey (Cornell) win by forfeit (Cornell, 9-0)
141: Corey Manson (Cornell) dec. Vince Varela (Hofstra), 7-6 (Cornell, 12-0)
149: No. 3 Kyle Dake (Cornell) win by fall Matt Spataro (Hofstra), 1:33 (Cornell, 18-0)
157: No. 11 DJ Meagher (Cornell) dec. Tyler Banks (Hofstra), 9-3 (Cornell, 21-0)
165: Craig Eifert (Cornell) win by fall No. 14 PJ Gillespie (Hofstra), 4:46 (Cornell, 27-0)
174: No. 3 Mack Lewnes (Cornell) win by fall No. 16 Ryan Patrovich (Hofstra), 3:33 (Cornell, 33-0)
184: No. 6 Steve Bosak (Cornell) dec. Ben Clyer (Hofstra), 3-0 (Cornell, 36-0)
197: No. 1 Cam Simaz (Cornell) win by fall Matt Loew (Hofstra), 1:41 (Cornell, 42-0)
HWT: Stryker Lane (Cornell) dec. Paul Snyder (Hofstra), 4-0 (Cornell, 45-0)
 
#1 Cornell vs. Columbia
125: No. 10 Frank Perrelli (Cornell) maj. dec. 15-7 Penn Gottfried (Columbia) (Cornell, 4-0)
133: No. 6 Mike Grey (Cornell) maj. dec. Matt Bystol (Columbia), 18-7 (Cornell, 8-0)
141: Corey Manson (Cornell) maj. dec. Josh Houldworth (Columbia), 14-5 (Cornell, 12-0)
149: No. 3 Kyle Dake (Cornell) win by fall Tom DiVitantonio (Columbia), 1:35 (Cornell, 18-0)
157: No. 11 DJ Meagher (Cornell) dec. Jake O'Hara (Columbia), 11-5 (Cornell, 21-0)
165: Craig Eifert (Cornell) dec. Eren Civan (Columbia), 9-4 (Cornell, 24-0)
174: No. 3 Mack Lewnes (Cornell) win by fall Stephen West (Columbia), 6:20 (Cornell, 30-0)
184: No. 6 Steve Bosak (Cornell) maj. dec. Nick Mills (Columbia), 10-1 (Cornell, 34-0)
197: No. 1 Cam Simaz (Cornell) win by fall Mike Puhpak (Columbia), 1:14 (Cornell, 40-0)
HWT: Kevin Lester (Columbia) dec. Stryker Lane (Cornell), 5-4 (Cornell, 40-3)