FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Franklin & Marshall's wrestling team went ahead early and withstood a late rally, securing a narrow 25-18 win against Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) rival Sacred Heart on Sunday.
The Diplomats wrapped up their New England road trip on a high note with their seventh-straight win against the Pioneers and improved to 3-5, 1-4 EIWA on the year.
After back-to-back Sacred Heart decisions at 174 and 184 cut down F&M's lead to seven at 19-12 heading into 197, Anthony Mancini followed with a late third-period pin at 6:29 that put an end to the Pioneers' comeback.
Action opened with a forfeit at 125 going to F&M's Edgar Garcia, and a Dan Martoccio second-period pin (3:28) that put the Diplomats ahead 12-0 in the early stages of the match.
Two-consecutive Sacred Heart decisions made it a 12-6 contest, but Emmett LiCastri's 6-4 decision at 157, followed by Robbie King's 15-6 major at 165, seized the momentum back into F&M's favor.
Jimmy Stillerman (174) and Gordon Bolig (184) both hung tough with their opponents, falling by decisions but not allowing bonus points to the Pioneers, before Mancini's pin sealed the victory.
F&M receives a much-deserved week off from competition and returns to the mat on Saturday, Feb. 4th for a doubleheader in Lancaster against Drexel (12:00 p.m.) and Hofstra (2:00 p.m.).
F&M 25, SHU 18
125- (F&M) Edgar Garcia Forfeit (SHU)
133- (F&M) Dan Martoccio FALL 3:28 (SHU) Gerard Daly
141- (SHU) Brandon Levesque dec. 13-7 (FM) Paddy Quinlan
149- (SHU) Alex Harnsberger dec. 3-2 (FM) Sam Butler
157- (F&M) Emmett LiCastri dec. 6-4 (SHU) Casey Mitchell
165- (F&M) Robbie King Maj. dec. 15-6 (SHU) Matt Fisher
174- (SHU) Dom Celli dec. 8-4 (F&M) Jimmy Stillerman
184- (SHU) Elliott Entler dec. 6-1 (F&M) Gordon Bolig
197- (F&M) Anthony Mancini FALL 6:29 (SHU) Sasha Oliinyk
285-(SHU) John Hartnett FALL 2:26 (F&M) Jack Argast
