Technical knock out
NDC blanks WV-Tech, 55-0

SSOUTH EUCLID, Ohio –  The Wrestling Falcons ran their season dual meet record to 2-1 Sunday with a 55-0 victory over West Virginia Tech.  Notre Dame (2-1) earned the home victory with five forfeits, three falls, and one major.

Freshman Dante Rini (Massillon, OH) pinned WV Tech’s Shawn Sexton (Fr/Crab Orchard, WV) in 3:40.  Wrestling at 133, the first-year grappler from Jackson High School gave NDC a 12-0 lead with his second fall of the season.  The win runs Rini’s season record to 9-3.

Sophomore Brett Freeman (Burton, OH) also won by fall at 141.  He defeated freshman Nick McCoy (Gilbert, WV) for his 11th win of the year.  Freeman pinned McCoy in 4:42 for second fall of the season.

At 149, sophomore Nate Spencer (Mayfield, OH) defeated Justin Ramsey (So/Grantsville, WV), 15-2.  The victory puts Spencer’s record at 10-5.

NDC earned forfeit victories at 157, 165, and 174 against an outmanned Golden Bear squad.

Freshman Matt Kuti (Austintown, OH) earned a hard-fought 5-3 decision at 184.  The product of Austintown-Fitch is now 5-7 on the year.

Freshman Justin Tripp (Cleveland, OH) defeated James Salisbury (Fr/Webster Springs, WV) by fall in 2:26.  The bout marked Tripp’s 2007-08 season debut.

Sophomore Nick Terifaj (Strongsville, OH) won by forfeit in the heavyweight division to close out the scoring for NDC.

“We had some guys that stepped up today,” said Head Coach Frank Romano.  “We’re starting to develop some consistency, which we need to do before we head into some big events over the next month or so.”

The Wrestling Falcons take to the mats again Saturday, Dec. 15, when they compete in the Cleveland State Open.  Bouts are slated to get underway at 9:00am.

#15 Notre Dame 55, West Virginia Tech 0
Sunday, Dec. 9, 2007
Murphy Gymnasium, South Euclid, Ohio

125         Tyler Savage (NDC)  by forfeit                                                                              NDC 6, WVT 0
133         Dante Rini  (NDC) by fall over Shawn Sexton (WVT); 3:40                                NDC 12, WVT 0
141         Brett Freeman (NDC) by fall over Nick McCoy (WVT); 4:49                              NDC 18, WVT 0
149         #7 Nate Spencer (NDC) by maj. dec. over Justin Ramsey (WVT); 15-2           NDC 22, WVT 0
157         Victor Crenshaw (NDC) by forfeit                                                                         NDC 28, WVT 0
165         Mike Mahon (NDC) by forfeit                                                                                 NDC 34, WVT 0
174         Ken Sanger (NDC) by forfeit                                                                                  NDC 40, WVT 0
184         Matt Kuti (NDC) by dec, Bejamin Wood (WVT); 5-3                                            NDC 43, WVT 0
197         Justin Tripp (NDC) by fall over James Salisbury (WVT); 2:26                           NDC 49, WVT 0
HWT      Nick Terifaj (NDC) by forfeit                                                                           NDC 55, WVT 0

Match started at 125; attendance 103

Notes from the Nest...

Tourney-bound:  On Wednesday (Dec. 5) the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) extended an invitation to Notre Dame to participate in next months NAIA National Duals.  The event will be held in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and will feature 16 teams from the NAIA and from every level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Leader in the locker room: Brett Freeman’s 11 victories lead the team.  The former Berkshire High School standout is 9-2 over his last 11 bouts.