The AU wrestlers fought hard but came up short in a one-point loss to Rutgers on Sunday, falling to the Scarlet Knights with a team score of 19-18.
The dual meet started with an intense match between redshirt freshman Jasen Borshoff (125) and Ryan Jablonski. Borshoff clinched the victory by one point with a take-down as the match ended.
Redshirt freshman Mike Cannon (165) wrestled an aggressive match and was on his way to gaining a win through major decision, but was caught off-guard in the final minute of the third period when his opponent, Matt Pletcher, threw a head lock, gaining two points for a take down and three for near fall. Had Cannon avoided the move and gained a technical fall, American would have won the meet outright.
"It was totally unexpected," Cannon said after the match. "He was down by 12 or 13 points. When you're losing that far, you look for desperate moves. It was a good lesson."
Junior Josh Glenn (197) overcame opponent Lamar Brown with an escape in the third period for the only point scored during the match.
In the heavyweight class, redshirt junior Evan Murtaugh (184/HWT) fought hard but fell to Mike D'Amico. Murtaugh, who recently moved up to the heavyweight class after the departure of nationally-ranked Adam LoPiccolo from the team, was outweighed by about 100 pounds in the match.
"It's asking a lot of him," said AU coach Mark Cody of Murtaugh. "It takes guts to step up and do it."
On Friday the Eagles have their senior night and last home meet of the season against Maryland. The match has added implications as Cannon, a Maryland native, is set to wrestle an opponent from his hometown.
Cody said that the team is expecting around 3,000 spectators to cheer on the AU wrestlers. He also said it would not be an easy match-up, but they should have everyone back in the lineup, including freshman Kyle Borshoff. The action starts at 7 p.m. in Bender.
