WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. –Junior Ryan Smith and senior Harrison Hinojosa each closed out perfect 5-0 weekends as the No. 14 Stevens Institute of Technology wrestling team took fifth place with a pair of victories over Wilkes and Washington & Lee Saturday on the final day of the Budd Whitehill Duals, hosted by Lycoming College.
 
The Ducks reeled off six consecutive wins by fall or technical fall against the Colonels during a 34-19 victory, then picked up three more falls against the Generals in the battle for fifth, taking the dual by a 26-22 final margin.
 
Sophomore Carmen Cortese, senior Chris Stathopoulos, and graduate student Joel Martsinovsky gave the Ducks five 2-0 performers on Saturday. Senior Blaise Wagner also picked up a victory for Stevens.
 
The Rundown - Wilkes
With the Ducks down 16-0 through three matches after a forfeit, and losses by major decision and fall, Cortese and Smith picked up 12 points for Stevens with back-to-back pins at 149 and 157. Stathopoulos put the Red and Gray in front, wrapping his match in 1:07, the team's fastest pin of the day. Hinojosa made it four straight falls at 174 and the Martsinovsky/Wagner duo each posted technical fall wins without conceding a point between them, picking up the Ducks' final 10 points of the match at 184 and 197.
 
The Rundown – Washington & Lee
Facing another large deficit early on (15-0 after the first three matches), the Stevens comeback again began with Cortese, who picked up a fall in the final 30 seconds of his match. Smith and Stathopoulos each posted major decision wins, leaving the Ducks just one point back, 15-14. Hinojosa and Martsinovsky followed with their second (respective) pins of the day, shooting Stevens out in front, 26-15. Suddenly needing pins in each of the final two matches for the win, Washing & Lee mustered just seven points as the Ducks closed out a 4-1 weekend on the mats.
 
From the Mat (Head Coach Anthony Bonaventura)
""Amazing response by the team after a tough end to yesterday. I was impressed with our resolve and fight this weekend. We knew we had to score points in bunches and we did that over the two days. Built a lot of momentum heading into MAC Championship Week. Proud of our effort and excited to keep getting better."
 
Up Next

• King's College hosts the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championships next Saturday as the Ducks eye a fifth straight conference crown.

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