Roanoke, Virginia – First-year
Peter Kane began his NCAA Championship campaign today at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, Virginia. Kane qualified for this final meet of the season two weekends ago by collecting a third-place finish at Northeast Regionals in Portland, Maine.
Competing at 157, Kane was matched up with seven seed Patrick McGraw of John Carroll University in his first bout of the day. After a scoreless first frame, Kane was able to take a 3-1 lead into the third period courtesy of an early escape and late takedown in the second. Kane maintained this two-point edge for nearly the entire final period before tacking on a decisive five points from a near fall and riding time in the final ten seconds.
This 8-1 win by decision in the round of 16 set the stage for a quarterfinal matchup with two seed Nolan Hertel of University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. In typical Kane-fashion, the match was low scoring. In fact, the third period began as a scoreless draw. Hertel was able to break the deadlock with a reversal midway through the period to establish a 2-0 advantage. Kane responded resiliently with a reversal of his own with only ten seconds left on the clock to knot the score at two. Unfortunately, he was unable to tally again before the final whistle and Hertel was awarded the decisive point from riding time.
This 3-2 decision in Hertel's favor sent Kane into an elimination match in the consolation bracket against the six seed, Alex Villar of North Central College. Entering the third period with a 4-0 lead courtesy of a first period takedown and second period reversal, Kane sealed the deal in the third period with a pin at the 7:00 mark. This dominant result capped off an impressive NCAA debut and kept his third place bid intact for tomorrow. In the process, Kane secured All-American status, becoming only the third first-year in Williams wrestling history to do so.
Kane will be back in action tomorrow with a huge bout against local rival Jake Deguire of Springfield College who took first place in the Northeast Regional. If he is able to oust Deguire, Kane will be two wins away from third place.
