LANCASTER, Pa. - Franklin & Marshall fell to visiting Columbia, 32-12, in Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association action on Friday night at the Mayser Center. The Diplomats drop to 0-11, 0-4 EIWA with the loss, while the Lions improve to 4-2, 1-1 EIWA.

Richard Durso, Matt Latessa and Colin Ely secured wins for the Diplomats. Trailing 9-0 following the first two bouts, Durso tallied the first F&M points of the match with a 3-2 decision over Matt Bystol at 141 pounds. Durso jumped out in front with a takedown at the 1:10 mark of period one, but Bystol fought back to tie the bout with a pair of escapes in both the first and second periods. Knotted at 2-2 heading into the third, Durso registered an escape just under 30 seconds in and outlasted Bystol down the stretch to secure the victory.

At 184, Latessa edged Shane Hughes by an 11-9 decision in a neck-and-neck battle that came down to the wire. After three ties and four lead changes throughout the first two periods, Latessa broke an 8-8 deadlock with an escape with 1:35 remaining. The F&M senior then delivered a crucial takedown with just 12 ticks on the clock to ice the win.

Ely recorded his team-high fifth win via fall of the season at 197 with a pinning of Matt Idelson in 2:46. The F&M senior took control right from the start, delivering a takedown at the 2:34 point of the first period. Idelson countered with a reveral at 2:15, but Ely answered right back with a reversal of his own 32 seconds later and finished off Idelson shortly thereafter.

At 174, the matchup between Matt Fullowan and Stephen West came down to a narrow decision for the second straight year, with West this time coming out on top, 5-2. Tied at 2-2 at the start of period three, West earned an escape just four seconds into the period to take a one-point advantage. The two wrestlers tussled for position with neither giving up ground as time winded down, but West tallied a takedown with 18 seconds remaining that proved to be the difference.

F&M returns to action next Saturday, Feb. 4 to host a pair of matches. The Diplomats will open the day against Sacred Heart at 12:00 pm, before taking on Rider at 2:00 pm.

Columbia (COLU) 32.0 Franklin & Marshall (F&M) 12.0
125: Robert Dyar, COLU, pinned David III Hershberger, F&M, 1:56. (6-0)
133: Kyle Gilchrist, COLU, dec. Robert Ruiz, F&M, 6-0. (9-0)
141: Richard Durso, F&M, dec. Matt Bystol, COLU, 3-2. (9-3)
149: Steve Santos, COLU, dec. Andrew Murano, F&M, 6-1. (12-3)
157: Jake O`Hara, COLU, tech. fall Eric Norgard, F&M, 5:59 22-7. (17-3)
165: Adam Fondale, COLU, forf. (23-3)
174: Stephen West, COLU, dec. Matt Fullowan, F&M, 5-2. (26-3)
184: Matt Latessa, F&M, dec. Shane Hughes, COLU, 11-9. (26-6)
197: Colin Ely, F&M, pinned Matt Idelson, COLU, 2:46. (26-12)
285: Kevin Lester, COLU, pinned Alexander Henry, F&M, 4:15. (32-12)