Reporter
CSU Bakersfield split in a three-team dual at home, as the Roadrunners beat San Francisco State University and then lost to No. 10 Rutgers University Friday, Nov. 11 at the Icardo Center.
CSUB cruised past SFSU 42-3 and lost down the stretch to Rutgers, 26-15.
The Roadrunners (2-1) started the dual against the Gators (0-3) with three consecutive pins beginning with redshirt-sophomore Dylan Bollinger’s win at the 184-pound weight class.
At 197, redshirt-junior Matt Williams then pinned SFSU’s Johnathon Costa with 12 seconds into the third period.
Redshirt-senior heavyweight Alex Encarnacio-Strand recorded the third pin as he beat SFSU’s Ricardo Jaramillo 33 seconds into the match.
Additionally, Redshirt-sophomore Sean Nickell won the first decision of the night at 125 against former teammate Matt Gamble 3-1.
“They’re Division II, but it doesn’t mean they don’t have tough kids,” said CSUB coach Manny Rivera.
“They’re here to knock us off, so they’re here to keep us on our game.”
SFSU later went up against Rutgers and lost by a final score of 45-0.
CSUB then squared off against Rutgers (2-0) as the Roadrunners were close to posting an upset against a top-10 ranked Division I team.
The Roadrunners kept the score tied up to three duals left in the match. Rutgers eventually pulled ahead and won the match 26-15.
“I think we can still improve in some ways.” said Rivera. “We had a lot of momentum so the finish I definitely feel fell off a little in the end.”
Rutgers got on the board first with a pin at 93 seconds in the first round against Bollinger at 184.
The Roadrunners would answer back with a pin of their own from Williams at 197 with 2:28 into the bout.
Then two decisions from heavyweight Encarnacion-Strand and Sean Nickell at 125.
CSUB and Rutgers went into the final three matches with the score tied at 15, before the Scarlet Knights won all three matches.
“It sucks to lose, but our team went out there and fought,” said Encarnacion-Strand. “This teams 10th in the nation so I don’t think a lot of people thought we were going to actually be in this match.”
Encarnacion-Strand is the only starting senior on the team.
He said he really liked the effort he saw from his teammates.
Williams had a big day, earning two pins against SFSU and RU.
He said it’s all about visualizing for him.
“I always go out there and say I’m going to pin my match,” said Williams. “It’s something I trained for. I’m not just proud of how I wrestled tonight but how my teammates wrestled tonight.”
Williams’ had a lot to say about his opponents especially the highly ranked wrestlers from Rutgers.
He said he feels his team held their own against a highly-ranked school.
“I constantly had to sit there and ask the guys ‘are these guys really number ten in the nation?’” said Williams.
CSUB wrestling is scheduled to host the annual Roadrunner Open on Friday, Nov. 20, which will be at Clovis North High in Fresno.
