LEWISBURG, Pa. – Charles Kerkesner and Rob King each recorded decisions for their third consecutive dual meet victories, but a pair of pins and three major decisions cost the Franklin & Marshall wrestling team in a 33-6 loss to No. 22 Bucknell on Friday evening in Lewisburg.
The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) defeat brought the Diplomats' record to 2-8 on the season, while the Bison captured their ninth straight win to improve to 14-3 on the year.
With the match starting off at 197, Kerkesner came out firing in an action-packed first period with three takedowns. Ahead by a 6-2 score in the opening frame, Bucknell's Tyler Lyster followed with an escape and takedown of his own to pull within one.
Clinging to a one-point advantage following a scoreless second period, Kerkesner managed to ride out Lyster, who chose down to start off the frame, and hang on for the 6-5 victory. The 3-0 F&M lead was short lived as the nation's No. 11 wrestler in Joe Stolfi dominated at 285 with a late opening-period pin, followed by a 9-1 major decision at 125 for the 10-3 advantage.
Patrick Quinlan battled at 133 and trailed by just a 7-5 score heading into the third. The Diplomats' freshman grappler quickly landed an escape, but his opponent followed with a takedown to pull ahead at 9-6. With only 10 seconds remaining, Quinlan responded with another escape and a quick takedown to tie the match at 9-9, however Bucknell's Grimaldi Gonzalez was awarded the point for riding time for the narrow one-point win.
The Bisons padded the lead for good with their second pin of the night at 141 and a major decision at 149, pulling out in front at 22-3. King continued to be a bright spot in the F&M lineup at 157, taking a 1-0 lead into the third and holding onto the lead with an early takedown and an escape with just under 20 seconds remaining to come away with the 4-3 decision.
F&M wrestled tough at 165 and 174, falling by 6-1 and 5-3 decisions, before Bucknell closed out the contest with seven takedowns in a 17-6 major decision at 184.
The regular season concludes for the Diplomats on Thursday when F&M heads to Millersville for the eighth annual Rupp Cup, and a series in which the Diplomats have secured four consecutive wins.
No. 22 Bucknell 33, Franklin & Marshall 6
197: Charles Kerkesner (F&M) dec. Tyler Lyster (B), 6-5.
285: No. 11 Joe Stolfi (B) pinned Alex Henry (F&M), 2:53.
125: No. 19 Paul Petrov (B) maj. dec. Edgar Garcia (F&M), 9-1.
133: Grim Gonzalez (B) dec. Patrick Quinlan (F&M), 10-9.
141: Tyler Smith (B) pinned Robert Ruiz (F&M), 1:37.
149: Victor Lopez (B) maj. dec. Tommy Quinlan (F&M), 12-2.
157: Rob King (F&M) dec. Logan Kerin (B), 4-3.
165: Robert Schlitt (B) dec. Andrew Francos (F&M), 6-1.
174: Joey Krulock (B) dec. Gordon Bolig (F&M), 5-3.
184: Tom Sleigh (B) maj. dec. Anthony Mancini (F&M), 17-6.
