Broncs split matches in first dual meets of 2023

By Logan VanDine

AFTER a strong performance at the Princeton Open, Rider wrestling kicked off its first dual meets of the regular season at the University of Indiana and Southern Illinois Edwardsville with the Broncs losing to Indiana, followed by a bounce-back win over SIUE. 

‘We had them on the ropes’

With hopes of building off their strong start at the Princeton Open, the Broncs traveled to take on Indiana, but in their first dual meet of the season, the Hoosiers proved to be too much for Rider to handle with the Broncs losing 27-15 on Nov. 10.

The match was off to a good start for Rider as they won four out of their first six matches of the night with some notable wins. Graduate student Richie Koehler had a 9-3 win in his bout, along with senior Quinn Kinner, who achieved a huge win over No. 6 Graham Rooks of Indiana by a score of 8-2.

Before the first half of the match concluded for a short intermission, junior Colton Washleski finished off on the right foot as he won by decision against Indiana’s Nico Bolivar to give Rider a 15-7 lead. 

Indiana took over for the rest of the match in the final four bouts of the night, outscoring the Broncs the rest of the way 20-0 to win the duel by a final tally of 27-15.

“We were in position to win the match, there were a couple of matches that we could’ve won, we just didn’t finish the matches,” Head Coach John Hangey said. “They just need to believe a little bit at a higher level and push the pace a little more.”

Despite Hangey’s disappointment in his team’s inability to close out the match with a win, he was impressed by some of its matches, with Kinner being able to take down a ranked wrestler.

“Those guys wrestled the whole seven minutes. They really did well and managed some adversity, but Quinn just dominated that kid. It was a one-sided match, and Quinn was the most poised I have ever seen him,” said Hangey.

Kinner also spoke about his dominant win and how the loss of his niece, Winnie Prescott, motivated him to give his all during his bout.

“I love the guys that I practice with, they get the most out of me. My little niece Winnie passed away recently and just seeing the strength and the faith in God that my family had, even baby Winnie had, that my sister had and my brother-in-law, everybody there, I couldn’t tell you the things that it taught me,” Kinner said.

‘Our guys wrestled well today’

After a tough defeat at the hands of Indiana, the Broncs stayed on the road and headed to Illinois to take on SIUE. 

Rider got back on the right track as it dominated the Cougars, winning 29-6 for its first dual meet win of the regular season.

It was a dominating match from start to finish by 

the Broncs as they won the first five of the six matches of the night that gave them a17-3 victory.

Some of the notable bout wins that they were able to secure were Koehler winning his first by major decision with a score of 9-0 and Kinner winning his second bout of the weekend against a ranked opponent, defeating No. 15 Caleb Tyus by a 5-4 decision.

The Broncs won four of their final five matches of the afternoon with senior Tyler Klinsky finishing it off for Rider with his technical fall win by a score of 21-3, taking a 29-6 victory.

“It’s always important to bounce back after a tough loss, especially when it’s a conference opponent. Our guys wrestled well today; they were aggressive from start to finish in every match,” Hangey said.

The Broncs will return to Lawrenceville for their first home match of the regular season on Nov. 19 when they take on Michigan at 2 p.m.