FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Franklin & Marshall wrestling team won seven of the 10 bouts – highlighted by five bonus point victories – during a 33-10 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) dual at Sacred Heart on Saturday evening. Among F&M's victories that ran the team's record to 4-2 on the season were falls from both John Crawford (197 lbs.) and Josh Hillard (149 lbs.).
Starting the EIWA match at 184 lbs., the Diplomats got off to a great start with two of their nationally-ranked wrestlers hitting the mats early. No. 18 James Conway started the evening with a 19-3 technical fall in 6:37 as he racked up five takedowns and conceded only escapes during his 24th victory of the season. No. 31 John Crawford added four more takedowns on his way to building a 14-0 lead before he reversed his opponent to his back for a fall in 3:43, giving the visitors an 11-0 lead in the team score after just two matches.
Sacred Heart would come no closer than 11-7 following back-to-back wins at heavyweight and 125 lbs. Harrison Shapiro was locked in a 1-1 battle at 285 lbs. before his opponent secured a takedown in the final seconds for the 4-1 decision. The Pioneers earned their only bonus point victory of the night at 125 lbs. with a 10-1 major decision.
Franklin & Marshall closed the dual on a strong note as it won five of the final six bouts to leave no doubt on the scoreboard. No. 29 Mason Leiphart turned the momentum back in F&M's favor with his 14-9 decision at 133 lbs. which featured two takedowns and seven total back points. With his victory on Saturday, Leiphart joined Conway as the two Diploamts who are perfect 6-0 on the season in dual meets. Just one match later, Pat Phillips was up 1-0 late in the third period at 141 lbs. before adding a takedown during the final seconds of his 4-0 victory which marked his 20th win of the year.
Josh Hillard put Sacred Heart's Chris Naegele on his back immediately after his first takedown and later earned the fall at the 2:37 mark. Hillard's victory was his 10th of the season, with four of those wins coming via fall. Dominic Wheatley then clinched the dual with his second career technical fall at 157 lbs. Wheatley put his opponent on his back three times and had two takedowns during his 15-0 win that concluded with a reversal at the 6:30 mark.
F&M saw its stretch of four consecutive victories snapped with an 8-1 decision at 165 lbs., but Noah Fox had one more bonus point victory in store for the Diplomats with his 24-6 technical fall at the 6:36 mark to close the bout at 174 lbs. Fox secured six takedowns before locking up his second technical fall of the season after four final back points. With the senior's latest victory, Fox was the second Diplomat on the night to join the 20-win club versus the Pioneers.
The Diplomats finished the dual holding a 22-8 advantage in takedowns and racked up 23 back points during a strong EIWA showing. With its first EIWA victory of the season under its belt, F&M will return to action this coming Friday, February 2 at home with another EIWA match against LIU. That conference clash is set to get underway at 8 p.m.
Franklin & Marshall 33, Sacred Heart 10
184: #18 James Conway (F&M) TF Hunter Perez (SHU); 6:37 (19-3) (F&M 5-0)
197: #31 John Crawford (F&M) WBF Jake Trovato (SHU); 3:43 (F&M 11-0)
285: Brendan Gilchrist (SHU) dec. Harrison Shapiro (F&M); 4-1 (F&M 11-3)
125: Jake Ice (SHU) maj. Eric Howe (F&M); 10-1 (F&M 11-7)
133: #29 Mason Leiphart (F&M) dec. Andrew Fallon (SHU); 14-9 (F&M 14-7)
141: Pat Phillips (F&M) dec. Vinny Milazzo (SHU); 4-0 (F&M 17-7)
149: Josh Hillard (F&M) WBF Chris Naegele (SHU); 2:37 (F&M 23-7)
157: Dominic Wheatley (F&M) TF Connor MacDonald (SHU); 6:30 (15-0) (F&M 28-7)
165: Scott Jarosz (SHU) dec. Josh Palmucci (F&M); 8-1 (F&M 28-10)
174: Noah Fox (F&M) TF Owen Ayotte (SHU); 6:36 (25-6) (F&M 33-10)
