Lions Drop Close Match To Bucknell On Senior Day

Saturday, February 22

New York, N.Y.

2:00 P.M.

Columbia University

Bucknell

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin

Lions Drop Close Match To Bucknell On Senior Day

2/22/2020 5:41:00 PM | Wrestling

Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery Coach Tanelli Post Match Joe Franzese Post Match

Columbia Wrestling dropped a heartbreaker, 18-14, to Bucknell on senior day.

NEW YORK – On senior day, where Columbia Wrestling (8-6, 8-5 EIWA/2-3 IVY) honored Justin Choi and Val Miele, the Lions dropped a close and tough match to Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association foe Bucknell (10-6, 9-3 EIWA), 18-14, to wrap up the 2019-20 regular season on Saturday, Feb. 22 at the University Gym "Blue Gym".

Columbia collected wins from sophomores Joe Manchio (125), No. 28 Matt Kazimir (141) and Joe Franzese (184), along with a win from first-year Angelo Rini (133), but a wave of wins in the heart of the lineup by Bucknell was enough for the Bisons to hold off Columbia. The Lions, with eight EIWA wins, now finish the season with the most EIWA wins in program history, as they turn their attention to the EIWA Championships set to go in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania from Mar. 6-8.

HOW IT HAPPENED (BUCKNELL): Columbia would open the match on fire, but an inability to secure any bonus points over the first three matches, would come back to haunt Columbia, as at 125 pounds Manchio got the action started with SV-1 3-1 win over Geo Barzona. Manchio would get a takedown with only seconds remaining in the sudden victory period to lock up the win, and at 133 pounds, Rini would piggyback off that momentum to take his match with Darren Miller via an 4-1 decision.

With Columbia up 6-0, Kazimir took to the mat, and he calmly worked a solid 6-2 decision against David Campbell, to put Columbia up 9-0. But the next four matches would fall in Bucknell's favor, and the first Bisons win came at 149 pounds when first-year Andrew Garr, despite a flurry of points over the final minute, fell just short to Matthew Kolonia (dec., 8-7) to get Bucknell on the board.

The next bout, at 157 pounds, would again go Bucknell's way, as Jaden Fisher would beat first-year David Berkovich via an 8-2 decision, and with a 4-2 decision at 165 pounds, in a match where junior Riley Jacops nearly scored a late takedown against No. 20 Zach Hartman, the Bisons tied the score at 9-9. Bucknell would take the lead for the first time with a 5-3 win via decision at 174 pounds, when first-year Lennox Wolak was unable to defend a late reversal against Mitch Hartman and with the win Bucknell took a 12-9 lead.

Columbia would wrestle back the lead thanks to an absolutely dominating performance by Franzese, as he would tilt Kyle Inlander almost at will, muscling a technical fall victory, 16-0, with the final points coming as the first period expired to put Columbia back on top, 14-12.

In the final two matches, Bucknell would catch and pass Columbia as at 197 pounds the Bisons would take back the lead thanks to a 5-1 decision by No. 26 Drew Phipps over sophomore Sam Wustefeld. At 285 pounds, with Columbia trailing 15-14, sophomore Danny Conley took to the mat with a chance to pull out a victory, and despite the Columbia heavyweight working hard and aggressively looking for the takedown he needed, Bucknell's Brandon Stokes would come away with a 2-0 decision to wrap up the match with Bucknell on top, 18-14.

BUCKNELL 18, COLUMBIA 14
New York, New York (University Gym "Blue Gym")

125 | Joe Manchio (Columbia) def. Geo Barzona (Bucknell), SV-1 3-1
133 | Angelo Rini (Columbia) def. Darren Miller (Bucknell), dec. 4-1
141 | No. 28 Matt Kazimir (Columbia) def. David Campbell (Bucknell), dec. 6-2
149 | Matthew Kolonia (Bucknell) def. Andrew Garr (Columbia), dec. 8-7
157 | Jaden Fisher (Bucknell) def. David Berkovich (Columbia), dec. 8-2
165 | No. 20 Zach Hartman (Bucknell) def. Riley Jacops (Columbia), dec. 4-2
174 | Mitch Hartman (Bucknell) def. Lennox Wolak (Columbia), def. 5-3
184 | Joe Franzese (Columbia) def. Kyle Inlander (Bucknell), TF 16-0 (3:00)
197 | No. 26 Drew Phipps (Bucknell) def. Sam Wustefeld (Columbia), dec. 5-1
285 | Brandon Stokes (Bucknell) def. Danny Conley (Columbia), dec. 2-0

UP NEXT: Columbia now turns its focus on the EIWA Championships, hosted by Lehigh, which get going on Friday, Mar. 6 and run until Sunday, Mar. 8 in Bethlehem.

FOLLOWING THE LIONS: Stay up to date on all things Columbia Wrestling by following the Lions on Twitter (@ColumbiaWR), Instagram (@columbiawr) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).