La Crosse, WI – The New England College men's wrestling team comes together for their final outing of the season at the NCAA Nationals at La Crosse Center on Friday in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

TOP 'GRIMS

• NEC junior Boburjon Berdiyorov (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) began his day by starting off in the preliminary matches coming out on top winning his first bout by fall at 2:56 advancing himself into the championship bracket. The next round proved to be a tough match for the junior as he went up against the number one ranked 141 lbs in the tournament in junior Jacob Reed (Canal Winchester, Ohio) facing a defeat by an 8-0 decision placing Berdiyorov into the consolation side of the bracket where he managed to rally back. He picked up a big time win against senior Sam Stuhl (Ellsworth, Wis.) ranked at number six beating him by decision of 9-5. This win earns the NEC 141 lbs the opportunity to continue on within the tournament as the competition continues tomorrow morning. Berdiyorov finished with a 2-1 record on the day. Day two was a quick out as Berdiyorov lost against the graduate Alex Sampson (Victor, N.Y.) who was the number seventh ranked wrestler at the tournament that resulted in a 7-3 decision. The record overall for Berdiyorov gathered over the weekend was 2-2. What a run for the junior acquiring his biggest win over the weekend against number six Stuhl upsetting the senior in his appearance in the consolations. Berdiyorov gathered some big victories at the regionals tournament on March 3rd that punched his ticket to nationals this weekend coming in second place during that tournament at 141 lbs.
• NEC junior Zach Soda (Burlington, Mass.) found himself out of the tournament on the first day of the tournament suffering two back-to-back losses. None the less the junior performed in terrific fashion to get to nationals this weekend placing second at the regionals tournament at 149 lbs.

UP NEXT

• Congratulations to both Berdiyorov and Soda who went out and represented the program having an amazing season that got them to this point on the biggest stage of division III wrestling this season!

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