LEXINGTON, Va. - Franklin & Marshall spotted the Virginia Military Institute 18 points in a 33-10 loss to start a four-match tour of the South on a sour note. The Keydets (2-4) won four of the seven bouts, with the Diplomats (0-5) sweeping the upper middleweights.

The hosts needed only three bouts to settle the team score. Wrestling began at 141, where Yost used 3:41 of clock to defeat Matt Murray with a flawless technical fall. The Keydet's Michael Long advanced the VMI lead with an 8-1 decision over Eric Norgard at 149 lbs. before Burnett did him one better with a 9-1 major decision over Matt Gittleman at 157 lbs.

Burnett's major put the dual meet officially out of reach.  F&M surrendered 125, 133 and 285, leaving the Diplomats in an 18-0 hole at the outset.

Anthony Bongarzone, Matt Fullowan and Matt Latessa posted respective wins from 165 through 184.

Bongarzone got F&M on the board with a 4-2 decision of Matt Brock. The Diplomat scored a takedown late in the first period, and doubled his advantage in the closing seconds of the middle period with a reversal.  An escape and the riding point were the only scoring that Keydet sophomore Matt Brock could muster in the 4-2 bout.

Fullowan snuck away with a one-point decision of Andrew Szymborski. Following a scoreless first period, Fullowan worked from bottom and managed an escape. He then scored a takedown late in the period before a Szymborski escape.  In the third, Szymborski escaped early to cut Fullowan's lead to the 3-2 final. The win moved Fullowan to 10-5 on the year.

The Diplomats pulled closer with Matt Latessa's 14-5 major of Vinnie Gallo at 184, followed by the night's most spirited - and final contested - match. The Keydets Ronnie Ellsworth took a 2-0 lead midway through the first before Colin Ely escaped eight seconds later.  Ely claimed a 3-2 lead on a takedown late in the first, and escaped early in the second to push the margin to 4-2.

Ellsworth rallied as time expired in the second, scoring a takedown to even the match at 4-4.  In the third, Ellsworth worked an escape just before the midway point, then scored a late takedown to take control of the match.  An Ely escape to close the period capped the scoring, giving Ellsworth a 7-5 decision and pushing VMI's lead to 15-6.

VMI 33, Franklin & Marshall 10
141- David Yost (VMI) tech. fall Matt Murray (F&M), 15-0 (3:41)
149- Michael Long (VMI) dec. Eric Norgard (F&M), 8-1
157- Mike Burnett (VMI) maj. dec. Matt Gittleman (F&M), 9-1
165- Anthony Bongarzone (F&M) dec. Matt Brock (VMI), 4-2
174- Matt Fullowan (F&M) dec. Andrew Szymborski (VMI), 3-2
184- Matt Latessa (F&M) maj. dec. Vinnie Gallo (VMI), 14-5 
197- Ronnie Ellsworth (VMI) dec. Colin Ely (F&M), 7-5
285- Josh Wine (VMI) wins by forfeit
125- John Pope (VMI) wins by forfeit
133- Andrew Bannister (VMI) wins by forfeit