Maryland @ Rutgers

Rutgers handled Maryland 27-12 at the Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway, NJ on February 16, 2024, with bonus-point performances doing the heavy lifting for the Scarlet Knights. The final margin reflected a clear bonus-point advantage that Rutgers turned into separation across several key bouts.

A trio of bonus victories put Rutgers in control. Dean Peterson rolled to a 17-2 technical fall at 125 pounds for five team points, Al DeSantis followed with a 13-5 major decision at 157 for four more points, and Brian Soldano closed a critical rally with a fall at 184 that delivered six team points. Those bonus results combined to account for the 15-point margin of victory.

Maryland did answer with high-scoring wins of its own. Ethen Miller notched a 13-3 major decision at 149 for four team points, and Jaxon Smith produced a 23-5 technical fall at 197 for five points. Those bonus efforts kept the Terps competitive on the scoreboard, but they were unable to overcome Rutgers’ bigger haul of extra points.

In the end Rutgers’ ability to convert opportunities into majors, technical falls, and a fall decided the dual. Maryland’s two bonus wins were impressive, but the Scarlet Knights’ three bonus results were the decisive factor in the 27-12 final.