Photo by: Jeffrey Gamza
Rivera Becomes Back-to-Back All-American, Advances to Semis
3/22/2019 2:27:00 PM | Wrestling
PITTSBURGH — For the second-straight year, Sebastian Rivera is an All-American.
The redshirt first-year earned his win in the quarterfinals to continue his path through the bracket at the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at the PPG Paints Arena.
Rivera was again commanding in his bout, this time against Cornell's upstart rookie, Vitali Arujau.
NU's 125-pounder struck first with ankle-pick and registered the first takedown of the matchup. After an Arujau escape, Rivera led, 2-1, after one period.
A Rivera escape was the only scoring of the second period, despite a wild short-time scramble. Arujau escaped quickly in the third period, and the score was 3-2, Rivera led. A Rivera takedown in the third period helped seal the matchup, and the New Jersey native rode out the four-time New York state champion to earn his advantage point and win, 6-2.
The victory clinched Rivera's second-straight All-America honor. He will wrestle Virginia's Jack Mueller, the undefeated fifth seed, in the quarterfinals tonight.
Redshirt first-year Ryan Deakin (157) wrestled a back-and-forth bout with Iowa's Kaleb Young, the sixth seed, but suffered a 7-5 setback in sudden victory.
Deakin will wrestle again tonight in wrestlebacks against Josh Humphreys of Lehigh and needs to win once to become an All-American.
Redshirt senior Conan Jennings won one of his two wrestleback bouts.
In his second consolation round, he utilized a low-scoring bout to pick up a victory. After five scoreless minutes of wrestling, he escaped after starting in the bottom position in the third period and utilized a late takedown to top Cary Miller, 3-0.
In a triple-overtime thriller, Jennings lost his final bout as a Wildcat, 3-1, to Zach Elam of Mizzou.
SESSION III
QUARTERFINALS
125: (1) Sebastian Rivera (NU) dec. (8) Vitali Arujau (COR), 6-2
157: (6) Kaleb Young (IOWA) dec. (3) Ryan Deakin (NU), 7-5 (SV-1)
CONSOLATION ROUND 2
285: (12) Conan Jennings (NU) dec. (27) Cary Miller (APP), 3-0
CONSOLATION ROUND 3
285: (20) Zach Elam (MIZZ) dec. (12) Conan Jennings (NU), 3-1 (SV-3)
The redshirt first-year earned his win in the quarterfinals to continue his path through the bracket at the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at the PPG Paints Arena.
Rivera was again commanding in his bout, this time against Cornell's upstart rookie, Vitali Arujau.
NU's 125-pounder struck first with ankle-pick and registered the first takedown of the matchup. After an Arujau escape, Rivera led, 2-1, after one period.
A Rivera escape was the only scoring of the second period, despite a wild short-time scramble. Arujau escaped quickly in the third period, and the score was 3-2, Rivera led. A Rivera takedown in the third period helped seal the matchup, and the New Jersey native rode out the four-time New York state champion to earn his advantage point and win, 6-2.
The victory clinched Rivera's second-straight All-America honor. He will wrestle Virginia's Jack Mueller, the undefeated fifth seed, in the quarterfinals tonight.
Redshirt first-year Ryan Deakin (157) wrestled a back-and-forth bout with Iowa's Kaleb Young, the sixth seed, but suffered a 7-5 setback in sudden victory.
Deakin will wrestle again tonight in wrestlebacks against Josh Humphreys of Lehigh and needs to win once to become an All-American.
Redshirt senior Conan Jennings won one of his two wrestleback bouts.
In his second consolation round, he utilized a low-scoring bout to pick up a victory. After five scoreless minutes of wrestling, he escaped after starting in the bottom position in the third period and utilized a late takedown to top Cary Miller, 3-0.
In a triple-overtime thriller, Jennings lost his final bout as a Wildcat, 3-1, to Zach Elam of Mizzou.
SESSION III
QUARTERFINALS
125: (1) Sebastian Rivera (NU) dec. (8) Vitali Arujau (COR), 6-2
157: (6) Kaleb Young (IOWA) dec. (3) Ryan Deakin (NU), 7-5 (SV-1)
CONSOLATION ROUND 2
285: (12) Conan Jennings (NU) dec. (27) Cary Miller (APP), 3-0
CONSOLATION ROUND 3
285: (20) Zach Elam (MIZZ) dec. (12) Conan Jennings (NU), 3-1 (SV-3)
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