HEMPSTEAD, NY -- The Pride won nine consecutive matches, including a pin by Lou Ruggirello and a tech fall by Jonny Bonilla-Bowman, to post a 37-3 victory over CAA-rival Binghamton at the David S. Mack Sports Complex Friday night. The Hofstra victory boosted the Pride's season mark to 3-1 and bumped the program's conference match undefeated streak to 61 (60-0-1) and their conference winning streak to 58.
The match opened at 184 pounds with Binghamton's 15th-ranked junior Josh Patterson taking on Hofstra freshman Ben Clymer (8-4). Patterson (19-2) jumped out to a 3-0 lead and hung on for a 4-2 victory. Hofstra sophomore Joe Fagiano, ranked 16th in the nation at 197 pounds, put Hofstra on the board with a convincing 15-1 major decision over freshman Carl Korpi (1-7). The Indiana University-transfer improved to 10-1 on the season with his fifth consecutive victory and gave the Pride a 4-3 lead.
Hofstra freshman Jordan Enck followed Fagiano's lead with an 8-0 major decision over junior Corey Waite (13-9). Enck boosted his record to 9-8 on the year. Steve Bonanno, the third of five freshmen in the Pride starting line-up, boosted the Hofstra lead to 12-3 with a 17-3 major decision over sophomore Tyler Malberg at 125 pounds. Bonanno improved to 12-6 on the year with his fifth consecutive victory. Pride sophomore Lou Ruggirello, ranked 10th in the nation, improved to 10-1 on the season and recorded his ninth win by fall with a pin of junior Rob Slavin (7-8), in 1:11, at 133 pounds. All 10 of Ruggirello's victories this season have been bonus-point wins.
Pride red-shirt freshman Justin Accordino continued Hofstra's run of five straight bonus-point victories with a 14-3 major decision over sophomore Anwar Goeres (11-10) at 141 pounds. Accordino boosted his season-record to 10-4. In a rematch of the 2007 New York State High School Championship final, Hofstra red-shirt freshman P.J. Gillespie, from Long Beach High School, squared off against Matt Kaylor (13-8), from Burnt Hills High School, at 149 pounds. Once again, Gillespie (12-6) got the better of his opponent, jumping out to a 3-0 lead and holding on for a 4-1 victory.
Leading 25-3 in the match, Hofstra junior Jonny Bonilla-Bowman (4-5) dominated red-shirt freshman Jon Kaloust (2-5) to post a 25-10 tech fall victory at 157 pounds. Pride sophomore Ryan Patrovich, ranked 20th this week at 165 pounds, boosted his record to 9-3 on the season with a 7-2 victory over sophomore Ryan McGarity (9-9). Patrovich has won four of his last five matches. Hofstra senior Alton Lucas, the Pride's lone returning All-American, closed out the match and boosted his record to 8-3 on the season with a 17-4 major decision over junior Anthony Esposito (8-8) at 174 pounds.
The Pride will break for exams and will return to action on December 29-30 when they compete at The Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, North Carolina.
