26 Dec 2024 Wrestling claims two wins at collegiate duals in Nashville

Posted at 12:37 PMh in Sports by

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Little Rock Trojans secured victories in two of their three duals at the Collegiate Duals, opening and closing the day with impressive performances.

Photo by Sam Janicki

RESULTS
#20 Little Rock 24, #16 Missouri 19
Little Rock kicked off the day with a thrilling upset over #16 Missouri, earning their first ranked win of the 2024-25 season. The Trojans split matches 5-5, earning points through a pin, an injury forfeit, a technical fall, a major decision, and a decision victory.

Highlights included:

  • Nasir Bailey sparked momentum with a major decision.
  • Jordan Williams reclaimed the lead at 149 with a dominant tech fall.
  • Matty Bianchi followed with a 5-2 decision for back-to-back victories.
  • Joey Bianchi capitalized on an injury forfeit, adding 6 points to the scoreboard.

Missouri fought back with wins at 174 and 184, cutting Little Rock’s lead to just 2 points. However, Stephen Little sealed the upset with a pin in under 90 seconds, securing the Trojans’ first ranked victory of the year.

#20 Little Rock 0, #1 Penn State 44
Facing the nation’s top-ranked Penn State, Little Rock showed resilience but fell short in their toughest matchup of the season. Despite the loss, the Trojans fought hard in each bout.

#20 Little Rock 27, Binghamton 16
The Trojans bounced back with a convincing win over Binghamton to close out the event.

Key performances included:

  • Nasir Bailey opened with a statement pin.
  • Jordan Williams followed with a tech fall at 149.
  • Matty Bianchi added another tech fall at 157.
  • Joey Bianchi earned a hard-fought decision win.
  • DelSignore responded to a Binghamton win at 174 with a decision victory.

With the dual in Stephen Little’s hands again, he delivered a dominant 20-3 tech fall (4:39) to secure the Trojans’ second victory of the day.

The Trojans conclude the Collegiate Duals with a 2-1 record and just one dual loss on the season. Little Rock will return to action at the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Jan. 4.