Rutgers edges Princeton in front of record crowd at Battle at the Birthplace

[Tango Two]

Rutgers lost the bout but won the Battle.

A string of four victories in five weight classes between 149 and 184 pounds lifted the Rutgers wrestling team to a 19-16 victory over rival Princeton in the much-hyped Battle at the Birthplace.

It didn't disappoint the second-largest crowd in NCAA wrestling history on a 62-degree Saturday afternoon at High Point Solutions Stadium.


http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/i...inceton_battle_of_the_birthplace_rapid_r.html

 

[ecojew]

RU really lucked out with the weather today. It was a perfect day for an outdoor event but I somehow doubt that November 19 usually turns out quite so nice.

We had never been to a wrestling match (meet?) before but decided to go today to support the unique event. I don't pretend to understand the sport and how one earns points but overall we enjoyed the experience.

One thing I would strongly suggest if RU decides to schedule another outdoor match like this is that the place the mat at the south end of the stadium. Never one to complain about sunshine, the strong sun was right in our faces the entire time and after the 2nd or 3rd match, we could no longer tell who was who - the colors were all bleached out. We ended up moving to section 121 where we could see which team was which. Using the south end of the stadium would mean that most of the crowd would have the sun to its back or, at worst, to one side, making it much easier to see the action more clearly.

 

[rucoe89]

Who says global warming is all that bad!

 

[HawkeyeFreak]

I'm glad to hear it worked out so well for you guys. I remember when I first heard rumor of Iowa's outdoor meet, I thought it was a ridiculous idea. Wrestling outside in November? No way that can work. But we had great weather last year, and now you had great weather this year. Amazing that these things worked.

 

[Passe24]

My thoughts are that Goodale and coaches made some terrific moves today. Any true wrestling fans know it's all about the match ups. There is no dought in my mind Correnti would have gave up bonus points. Messner who losses to Matt in a wrestleoff but is more seasoned and is harder to score on. Great move with Vanbrill as well. Not so sure Giraldo gets that win let alone the major! I realize it's only November but I was really surprised with Ashnault. Not so much he lost bec we know how good Kolodzik is but in the fashion he did. It's not like him to sit on the lead like that. He def has a ways to go to be a Nat finalist but we know he will stop at nothing to get there. 16k+ is awesome and I'm glad I was a part of it.

 

[Jaroslav Hasek]

I was also amused to find myself complaining about the sun and heat at an outdoor wrestling match in November. pretty awesome event. very glad to have been a part of it.

 

[AshSaturday]

My first wrestling match and it was fun. Just as fun watching some of the fans than match. I was down in the 1st few rows so those on the floor were blocking R view. I was real disappointed when the Knight, blocking R view, moved. There was a Hulk Hogan lookalike from South Plainfield in front of me (a good, knowledgable fan) who was getting so "riled up" I thought we were getting an 11th match. It would have been might favorite since reading in the Targum (in 1986) about the "Cluck U" chicken assaulting a wise-a** fratboy after the later harassed him (after I read that I KNEW it was time to head south to UNC fr grad school-too long in NB and nothing would surprise me).