MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Antonio Pelusi came up big with a clutch sudden victory win at 285 pounds to tie the overall team score against Millersville in the annual Battle of the Rupp Cup, but Franklin & Marshall ultimately dropped the contest by a 22-21 tally due to the third tiebreak criteria.
The Diplomats fell to 3-9 on the year while the Marauders snapped F&M's eight-match winning streak in the series and improved to 4-8.
The early going of Wednesday's match saw F&M roll to an 18-3 advantage heading into 165 pounds. A forfeit at 125 pounds delivered six points to the Diplomats' team total, and Haroldo Nesbeth's 8-6 decision win at 141 pounds gave the Diplomats a 9-4 advantage.
Paddy Quinlan followed with a clutch 10-5 decision at 149 pounds, and Cole Aaron dominated with a first-period pin at the 1:39 mark of the 157-pound match for the 15-point F&M advantage.
However, Millersville followed with four-straight wins, including a pair of pins to pull ahead by three. The final match saw No. 32 ranked Antonio Pelusi trade escapes with the Marauder's David Wuestner in an eventual sudden-victory battle. The first overtime frame saw Pelusi take advantage of a failed shot from Wuester as the Diplomats' heavyweight spun around his back to earn the decisive two-point takedown.
However, the tie break point went the Marauders way after the match was decided on the third tiebreak criteria of 32-29 team points in favor of Millersville.
The Diplomats close out their dual meet season on Sunday by hosting Penn at 7:30 p.m.
Millersville 22, F&M 21 (3rd criteria. 32-29 team points)
125: Jose Diaz (F&M) won by forfeit, (F&M, 6-0)
133: Ryan McGuire (VILLE) over Mike Simonetti (F&M), MD 12-4 (F&M, 6-4)
141: Haroldo Nesbeth (F&M) over Anthony Wiggins (VILLE), Dec 8-6 (F&M, 9-4)
149: Paddy Quinlan (F&M) over D.J. Mele (VILLE), Dec 10-5 (F&M, 11-4)
AFTER 149, UNSPORTSMANSHIP CONDUCT BY MILLERSVILLE, DEDUCTION ONE POINT
157: Cole Aaron (F&M) over (VILLE), Fall 1:39 (F&M, 18-3)
165: No. 3 (DII) Shane Ruhnke (VILLE) over Crew Fullerton (F&M), Fall 4:51 (F&M, 18-9)
174: Anthony Yacovetti (VILLE) over Jacob Conners (F&M), Dec 3-0 (F&M 18-12)
184: Evan Morrill (VILLE) over Reid Robilotto (F&M), Dec 5-4 (F&M, 18-15)
197: Colton Dull (VILLE) over Philip Robilotto (F&M), Fall 2:21 (VILLE, 21-18)
285: No. 32 Antonio Pelusi over David Wuestner (VILLE), Dec 3-1 (SV-1) (21-21)
