Wrestlers Lose to Cornell; Long Bus Ride Takes Toll

The Crimson wrestling team lost its opening Ivy League match of the season to the Big Red of Cornell, 25-18, last night in Ithaca. New York.

Harvard grapplers lost three consecutive crucial matches by two points or less after falling behind in the lighter weights. The matmen could not over come a 25-6 Cornell lead despite recording pins in the final two bouts of the evening.

Crimson co-captain Jim Corcoran faced Cornell's co-captain in the 158-1b. match and lost a narrow decision, 13-11. The scores were even closer in the next two matches as the Harvard 167-pounder, Jon Franklin, and the 177 pounder, Tony Cimmarusti each lost by only one point.

Franklin could not quite get the edge on Mark Nigosian and wound up on the short side of a 14-13 score. Next, Cornell's second co-captain, John Paladino, held on for a 4-3 victory over Cimmarusti. The Crimson grappler kept Paladino in a headlock for almost three minutes but could not score a pin.

Both Sal D'Agostino and Craig Beling continued their winning ways by recording pins in the last two bouts. D'Agostino raised his record to 7-1 by pinning Bob Pietrowkowski seven minutes into the 190-1b. class. Beling disposed of John Bitus at 1:10 of the heavyweight contest for his third straight pin. Beling has flattened his last three opponents before entering the third period of his matches.

Cornell began by sweeping the first two bouts of the match before Bill Mulvihili defeated previously unbeaten Gene Nighman 3-2 in the 134-1b. class. Bob Cusamano moved up to the 142-1b. division and led 4-1 before getting caught and pinned at 4:20. Co-captain Tom Bixby earned an 8-4 victory in the 150-1b. contest to raise his record to a solid 6-1.

The grapplers left for Ithaca Thursday at 1 p.m. and had to skip dinner because weigh-ins were not until Friday morning. Coach Lee said yesterday after the Tech that "conditioning and weight problems had an effect on the match."

The team travelled to New York City last night for today's matchup against Columbia. The Crimson hope to improve their 4-4 record with a victory this afternoon.

Next weekend the wrestlers return to the IAB for matches against a powerhouse squad from Princeton on Friday night and Pennsylvania Saturday afternoon.