Tyler KnoxTyler Knox
Lisa Elfstrum
Wrestling

Card Completes Comeback at Princeton

Stanford victorious in Ayres' return

PRINCETON, N.J. - Major decisions by Nick Stemmet and Peter Ming propelled No. 17 Stanford past Princeton, 20-17, Thursday, at Jadwin Gymnasium.

In its most recent meeting since 2017, Stanford (9-3) improved to 5-0 all-time against Princeton (8-8), winning six of the 10 bouts against the Tigers.

Trailing the dual 17-12 with two bouts remaining, Stemmet gave the Cardinal life with a dominant 11-2 major decision over No. 16 Luke Stout at 197 pounds. Ranked No. 22, Stemmet registered three takedowns, an escape and the riding time point to notch his second consecutive win over a ranked opponent. Stemmet is now 16-8 overall and 8-4 in duals.

Ming followed up wtih an 11-2 major decision of his own at heavyweight, defeating Sebastian Garibaldi. The fifth year, who is ranked No. 31 nationally, jumped out to a big lead with a takedown and four near fall points in the opening period. He is now 12-6 overall and 4-3 in duals.

It was a homecomeing of sorts for Chris Ayres, The Matt Gentry Head Wrestling Coach, assistant coach Sean Gray and Patrick Brucki, The Patricia Miranda Assistant Coach. Ayres spent 17 season at the helm of the Princeton program with Gray on the sidelines for 12 of them. Brucki was a two-time All-American, wrestling for the Tigers from 2017-20.

Redshirt freshman Tyler Knox got the Cardinal on the scoreboard with a 7-0 decision over Dan Jones at 133 pounds. He tallied takedowns in the first and second periods, and then rode out Jones in the third to tack on the riding time point. Ranked seventh in the nation, Know is now 20-3 overall and 11-1 in duals.

True freshman Aden Valencia was back on the mat for Stanford for the first time since Dec. 6. He scored a takedown with 30 seconds remaining to knock off No. 31 Eligh Rivera, 5-4, at 141 pounds. 

No. 13 Hunter Garvin cut the team score to 12-9 with a 7-3 decision over Blaine Bergey at 165 pounds. The redshirt sophomore improves to 14-6 overall and 7-2 in duals this season.

True freshman Collin Guffey posted the first dual win of his collegiate career, turning in an 8-4 decision over Xavier Giles at 174 pounds. Guffey scored a pair of takedowns and an escape in the first period to lead 7-2. He is now 7-6 overall and 1-2 in duals.

At halftime of the dual, Coach Ayres was able to watch his daughter Chloe, a member of the Princeton team, record a win by technical fall on her Senior Night.

It's a quick turnaround for the Cardinal, which faces No. 7 NC State on Friday in Raleigh. Wrestling gets underway at 4 p.m. PT on ACC Network.

No. 17 Stanford 20, Princeton 17
125: Ethan Rivera (PRINCE) won by forfeit
133: #7 Tyler Knox (STAN) dec. Dan Jones (PRINCE), 7-0
141: Aden Valencia (STAN) dec. #31 Eligh Rivera (PRINCE), 5-4
149: #12 Ty Whalen (PRINCE) dec. #10 Jaden Abas (STAN), 5-4
157: Jake Mann (PRINCE) dec. Jack Consiglio (STAN), 7-4
165: #13 Hunter Garvin (STAN) dec. Blaine Bergey (PRINCE), 7-3
174: Collin Guffey (STAN) dec. Xavier Giles (PRINCE), 8-4
184: #27 Kole Mulhauser (PRINCE) tech. fall Tye Monteiro (STAN), 17-2 (5:11)
197: #22 Nick Stemmet (STAN) maj. dec. #16 Luke Stout (PRINCE), 11-2
285: #31 Peter Ming (STAN) maj. dec. Sebastian Garibaldi (PRINCE), 11-2