MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – The Bridgewater State University wrestling team competed at the prestigious Messiah Petrofes Invitational on Friday at Messiah College.
Freshman heavyweight Ryan Higgins (Billerica, Mass.), senior 141-pounder Andrew Valdina (Dracut, Mass.) and sophomore 149-pounder Riley Tufts (Medford, N.J.) each went 2-2 at the tournament to pace Bridgewater State.
Higgins posted back-to-back pins over Jacob Walker of Washington & Jefferson (6:59) and Jared Burgoyne of Alderson Broaddus University (4:34) in his first two bouts of the day. Higgins then dropped a 3-1 decision to nationally ranked Paul Triandafilous of Gettysburg College in the quarterfinals. Triandafilous is ranked eighth in all of Division III. Higgins ended the day with a 4-2 setback to Jonathan Pineda of Penn College in the consolation round.
Valdina opened the tournament with a win by fall (2:25) against Gettysburg's Eric Chambers. After loss by fall in the second round, Valdina bounced back with a pin (5:16) over Daniel Drayton of Alderson Broaddus in the consolation round before closing out the day with a 9-6 setback to Joseph Parsons of Springfield College.
After dropping his opening bout by major decision, Tufts posted a 7-0 victory over Springfield's Donald Etheridge and then pinned (2:10) David Kudrick of host Messiah in the consolation round. Tufts then lost to Ryan Dominique of Greensboro College, 8-3.
The Bears wrapped up the tournament with 18 team points as they are currently in 14th place.
Bridgewater State will return to the mat next Friday evening when the Bears host Roger Williams University at six.