MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Wesleyan wrestling team closed out the dual match season with a 27-17 win over NESCAC foe Trinity on Saturday afternoon from Silloway Gym. The Cardinals finish the dual season with an 8-4 overall record and perfect 4-0 mark at home. Trinity drops to 11-12 with the loss.
Starting at the 197 weight class,
Lennon Soaper '27 set the tone early for the Cardinals, landing a 11-0 major decision shutout win over Dylan Reynolds.
Trinity responded with three straight wins, including a pinfall at 285, as the Bantams led 12-4 heading into the 141 match. Returning from injury,
Hayden Myers '27 reversed momentum with a pin at 4:29 against Chris Perry, kick starting a series of four straight bout victories for Wesleyan.
Shailen Savur '25 triumphed at 149 in a 4-1 decision win over Andrew Pratt, benefiting from an early takedown and nearly four minutes of riding time.
CJ Shea '25 followed with a 20-3 tech fall win, landing his sixth takedown of the match with four seconds left on the clock to give him the five-point win for the Cardinals in the team scoring, as Wesleyan 18-12.
With just three bouts remaining,
Dario Molina '24 came up huge at 165 on Senior Day, scoring 22 points via six takedowns, one reversal, one nearfall and one escape, finishing off a 22-6 tech fall win after nearly five minutes of action against Austin Edwards.
Trinity's Adam Frost kept the Bantams alive with a 15-0 tech fall win at 174, lowering the deficit to 23-17 with just the 184-bout remaining.
Aris Dashiell '25 went on the offensive in his match at 184, landing three takedowns and holding Nicholas Crotty scoreless in a 11-0 major decision win that secured the 27-17 victory for Wesleyan.
The Cardinals' 8-4 dual match record in 2023-24 signals the best single-season win percentage (.667) for the team since Wesleyan went 16-3-1 back in 2010-11.
Next up for the Cardinals is the New England Wrestling Association Futures Tournament held in Springfield, Mass. on Sunday, February 25.
