Maryland wrestling falls to No. 23 Rutgers, 28-7

There have been few bright spots for the Terps during what is now a five-match losing streak, but No. 18 Braxton Brown has shined at 125. The redshirt freshman has risen through the rankings as he continues to dominate dual competition, and Maryland’s match with Rutgers was no different. 

“More of the same,” coach Alex Clemsen said. “I think out of everybody in our program right now he knows exactly who he is and what he needs to do, and he goes and does it.”

Despite the good performance from Brown, Maryland wrestling fell to No. 23 Rutgers, 28-7. Maryland was once tied at seven, but it all fell apart after that. Despite some key faces returning, Maryland still continued to struggle in the later stages of the match.

Brown opened things up for the Terps against No. 12 Dean Peterson. In the first, Brown and the sophomore battled, with both demonstrating excellent takedown defense to negate the other’s attacks in a scoreless period. Brown started on Peterson’s back in the second, and eventually broke through his guard on the ground to get four near fall points. In the third, Brown got an early escape, and then got an impressive double leg takedown to lock in a 8-0 majority decision win to give the Terps an early 4-0 lead. 

Redshirt senior King Sandoval wrestled in his first match for the Terps this season at 133, taking on No. 16 Joe Heilmann. Sandoval showed signs of rust early, with Heilmann jumping out to a 6-0 lead thanks to a takedown and four near fall points. The graduate student grew his lead in the second and third, getting multiple takedowns and controlling Sandoval on the ground on his way to an eventual 12-0 majority decision win that tied the score up at four. 

Freshman Kal Miller represented the Terps at 141 in a matchup with No. 18 Joseph Olivieri. This match was an absolute battle between both wrestlers, with scoring being limited. Olivieri picked up a point in the first due to a Miller violation, and then got another point in the second with an escape. In the third, Miller got an escape, but he couldn’t finish a late takedown attempt and lost the 2-1 decision to the sophomore, giving Rutgers a 7-4 lead. 

At 149, No. 18 Ethen Miller wrestled for Maryland against sophomore Anthony White. The redshirt freshman got a takedown in the first, but White escaped to make it 2-1. In the second, Miller got an escape to give himself a little breathing room at 3-1. White got an escape in the third, but Miler held him off to come away with the 4-2 decision win to bring Maryland even with Rutgers at seven. 

No. 32 Michael North made his return for Maryland at 157, facing sophomore Andrew Clark. The redshirt junior fell behind in the first when Clark secured a single leg takedown, and Clark extended his lead to 4-0 with a takedown in the second. North got an escape to make it 4-1, but Clark answered with two near fall points in the third. North got another escape, but Clark held him off to take the 7-2 decision giving Rutgers a 10-7 lead as the match went to intermission. 

At 165, redshirt freshman John Martin Best competed for the Terps against redshirt sophomore Robert Kanniard. Kanniard got a takedown right off the bat and controlled Best on the ground to grab a 3-0 lead in the first. Kanniard got another point with an escape to give him a 4-0 lead heading into the third, where he held Best off while generating offense to obtain a 7-0 decision that put Rutgers up 13-7. 

Sophomore Dominic Solis went up against junior Jackson Turley at 174. After a scoreless first, Turley first put points on the board with an escape in the second. Down 1-0 heading into the third, Solis attempted to make a comeback but Turley displayed excellent defense and turned Solis’ shots into takedowns of his own. Turley eventually took the 5-1 decision win to bring Rutgers’ lead up to 16-7. 

Redshirt junior Kevin Makosy was back for the Terps at 184, facing No. 15 Brian Soldano. Soldano got a late takedown in the first to take a 2-0 lead, but Makosy was awarded a near fall point in the second after a review and then got an escape, tying the bout at two as it headed to the third. There, Soldano got a takedown, but Makosy escaped and went on the offensive. The freshman held him off, hanging on for a 6-3 decision win to bring the score to 19-7 in favor of the Scarlet Knights.

A medical forfeit from No. 13 Jaxon Smith at 197 put Rutgers up, 25-7.

At heavyweight, No. 27 Jaron Smith closed things out for Maryland. Against No. 26 Boone McDermott, the graduate student took an early 1-0 lead with an escape in the second. McDermott got a takedown to go ahead 2-1, but Smith escaped to send things to the third tied at two. The redshirt junior got a takedown in the third to go ahead 4-2, but Smith got a huge reversal to tie it even at four. McDermott then managed a late escape, and Smith didn’t have enough time to get a late takedown. McDermott’s 5-4 win finalized the win for Rutgers, with a final score of 28-7. 

The Terps will be back in action Feb. 10 against Purdue, still searching for their first conference win of the season.