Pittsburgh Vs Columbia Preview(12-11-2022)

 

It will be a great dual between two of our up & coming east coast programs as the #15 Panthers of Pittsburgh take on the Lions of Columbia. It'll be an opportunity for Columbia to illustrate the commitments to improvements that have made while also give Pittsburgh a tough challenge. Three matches in particularly stick out to watch for in this match up. 

141 lbs
#1 Cole Matthews Vs #26 Matt Kazimir 

The season hasn't quite started off the way that Matt Kazimir would have liked for it to have & Cole Matthews despite still having the #1 ranking, did suffer a loss to Andrew Alirez of Northern Colorado at the All-Star Classic. Both of these wrestlers could use an upper & a win over the other would certainly do that. The first time the two met it only took Matthews thirty-six seconds to pin Kazimir but their second meeting was a much different story. Kazimir took Matthews into the tiebreakers before dropping a 3-2 decision.  Such a victory would get Kazimir out of the slump he seems to currently be in, as a win for Matthews would be good for him as well. 

157 lbs
#21 Dazjon Casto Vs U.R. Cesar Alvan 

Here's a match that will be much more competitive on the mat than what it'll be on paper. Dazjon Casto made a name for himself at last year's NCAA championships, upsetting a returning NCAA champion after years of lurking in the shadows. He's always had the ability and talent, but took a while before displaying it. Alvan, despite being a PAN-AMERICAN medalist, continues to be overlooked. A 7th place finish at last weekend's CKLV will help to garner him some attention & if he's able to knock off Casto it'll do even more. Columbia has made it a mission to be known and thought of as a wrestling school & it is opportunities like this that will help to make the vision into a reality. 

165 lbs
#14 Holden Heller Vs #10 Josh Ogunsanya 

This could very well turn out to be the match of the dual. I expect this match between to seasoned juniors to be one full of excitement and action.  An EIWA finalist last season, Ogunsanya will compete for an EIWA title this season as Heller looks to contend for an ACC title himself.