FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Following an early back-and-forth battle, Franklin & Marshall's wrestling team rallied late with wins in the final two bouts but fell short in heartbreaking fashion with a tough 19-18 loss against Sacred Heart on Sunday in EIWA competition.
The road defeat wrapped up a three-match weekend for the Diplomats, who fell to 2-4, 0-3 EIWA on the dual meet season.
Jose Diaz got the Diplomats off on the right foot with a commanding 11-6 decision before the Pioneers responded with a 15-8 decision at 133 pounds to knot the team score at 3-3.
Wil Gil continued his torrid stretch, capping off a perfect 3-0 weekend with an impressive 11-3 major decision at 141 pounds to put F&M ahead by four. A Sacred Heart major at 149 pounds once against evened the competition before Emmett LiCastri came up big at 157 pounds with a 12-4 major.
Three straight wins, including a pin at 165 pounds, put the Pioneers in front by a 19-11 tally heading into 197. The clutch tandem of Robilotto at 197 and two-time NCAA Qualifier Antonio Pelusi at 285 pounds once again came through for the Diplomats.
Robilotto dominated with a 12-1 major that closed the gap to four points, and Pelusi followed with a 5-3 decision as F&M came up just short of the come-from-behind win.
F&M will have some time to recover from its busy New England road trip as the Diplomats are slated to return to the mat on Saturday, Feb. 2 for a 7:00 p.m. matchup at home against Hofstra.
Sacred Heart 19, F&M 18
125: Jose Diaz (F&M) vs. Ryan Burns (SHU) – Diaz, 11-6 DEC (F&M 3-0)
133: Mike Simonetti (F&M) vs. Anthony Petrillo (SHU) - Petrillo, 15-8 DEC (Tied 3-3)
141: Wil Gil (F&M) vs. Seth Brown (SHU) - Gil, 11-3 Major (F&M 7-3)
149: Chris Martorello (F&M) vs. Gerard Daly (SHU) – Daly, 15-6 Major (Tied 7-7)
157: Emmett LiCastri (F&M) vs. TJ Calas (SHU) – LiCastri 12-4 Major (F&M, 11-7)
165: Jacob Conners (F&M) vs. Brandon Levesque (SHU) – Levesque Fall (4:52) (SHU 13-11)
174: Chris Bolletino (F&M) vs. Will Schmidt (SHU) – Schmidt 6-4 DEC (SHU 16-11)
184: Reid Robilotto (F&M) vs. Kyle Davis (SHU) – Davis 5-3 DEC (SHU 19-11)
197: Philip Robilotto (F&M) vs. Mark Blokh (SHU) – Robilotto Major 12-1 (SHU 19-15)
285: Antonio Pelusi (F&M) vs. Dante DelBonis (SHU) – Pelusi, 5-3 DEC (SHU 19-18)
