LANCASTER, Pa. – Franklin & Marshall gave Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) foe Harvard all it could handle on Friday evening in Mayser, coming up just short by a 26-16 tally.
The tough home-opening defeat brought the Diplomats' record to 3-2, 0-1 EIWA on the year while the Crimson captured their first dual win of the season at 1-3, 1-0 EIWA.
Harvard appeared to run away with Friday's match after taking a decisive 20-0 lead into the 165-pound matchup. Despite the early lopsided score, F&M received strong performances during the Crimson run, including Jose Diaz's gutsy 7-5 decision loss to No. 17 ranked Noah Hellickson at 125 pounds.
Emmett LiCastri (165 pounds) got F&M on the board in commanding fashion with a dominant 15-3 major that made the score 20-4. Leading 6-1 heading into the third period, the senior captain ran away with the bout after notching a pair of takedowns and four riding time points in the third. LiCastri collected nearly six minutes of riding time in the clutch victory.
At 174 pounds, first-year John Crawford delivered a statement win, registering an early takedown and turning his opponent at the 1:47 mark for his third pin of the season. The fall handed six key points to the Diplomats and made it a 20-10 match.
Knowing a Crimson forfeit loomed at 197 pounds, Jimmy Stillerman and Harvard's Michael Doggett battled in an instant classic during the 184-pound bout. Stillerman tallied the first score with an early second-period escape, before recording a takedown to secure a 4-3 advantage. Doggett chose bottom and forced sudden victory with a third-period escape.
Neither grappler scored in sudden victory one, before trading escapes in the tiebreaker periods. Another sudden victory yielded the same result, followed by alternating escapes in TB-2. Doggett held the edge in riding time, which proved to be the deciding factor in a heartbreaking 7-6 decision loss for Stillerman.
The 23-10 Crimson lead put the match away for good. Harvard's forfeit at 197 pounds made it a 23-16 match before Cenzo Pelusi came up just short in a 4-1 decision loss to No. 9 Yaraslau Slvikouski at 285 pounds.
The Diplomats return to the home mat on Sunday for a doubleheader against Sacred Heart (2:00 p.m.) and Brown (5:00 p.m.).
Harvard 26, F&M 16
125: Nolan Hellickson (HARV) over Jose Diaz (F&M) (Dec 7-5)
133: Michael Jaffe (HARV) over Mike Simonetti (F&M) (TF 23-6 5:31)
141: Lukus Stricker (HARV) over Sean Coakley (F&M) (Fall 3:51)
149: Andrew Pace (HARV) over Cristiaan Dailey (F&M) (Dec 8-5)
157: Hunter Ladnier (HARV) over Cole Aaron (F&M) (Dec 4-0)
165: Emmett LiCastri (F&M) over Zeth Dean (HARV) (MD 15-3)
174: John Crawford (F&M) over Michael Bausano (HARV) (Fall 1:47)
184: Michael Doggett (HARV) over Jimmy Stillerman (F&M) (TB-2 7-6)
197: Ethan Seeley (F&M) over (HARV) (For.)
285: Yaraslau Slavikouski (HARV) over Cenzo Pelusi (F&M) (Dec 4-1)
