Wrestlers Notch Three More, Now 6-0

Someone forgot to tell the Crimson wrestling team that guests should treat their hosts graciously. The grapplers travelled to Buzzards Bay Saturday where they not only snubbed their hosts, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, 27-15, but also humiliated the other guests, the University of New Hampshire (29-12) and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (28-10).

The Crimson, now 6-0, build an early lead in all three matches on the strong performances of Rick Beller, Rick Kief, Andy McNerney, and Fritz Campbell in the 118-, 126-, 134-, and 142-lb. classes. In each case, however, the grapplers couldn't put the meets out of reach until the 177-lb. contest.

Harvard coach Johnny Lee gave much of the credit for the team victories to his first four wrestlers but said yesterday the matmen's showing "wasn't a performance that left you feeling great."

Lethargy Strikes

Calling the outing "a lethargic day," Lee added that although none of the three teams wrestled particularly well, the Crimson performed "way better" against the MMA Buccaneers than against their other two opponents.

Lee reserved special praise for sophomore Rick Beller, whose lightning-quick takedowns and aggressive style earned him victories against MMA and WPI. (UNH forfeited at the 118-lb. slot).

"He's one tough little hombre," Lee said of Beller, adding that Beller's 15-1 triumph over Buccaneer co-captain Rich Devaney was "a very nice job."

Fritz Campbell pinned his Mass. Maritime opponent in 1:57 and co-captain Tony Cimmarusti flattened his Huskie counterpart at 177 pounds in 2:30, thus registering Harvard's only pins of the day.

Pinless

Nothing the scarcity of pins among the Crimson's victories, Lee said, "Maybe we've spending too much time riding legs. We've got to have more pins."

Saturday's victories, which come on the heels of Thursday's 33-15 triumph at Wesleyan, extended the matmen's undefeated streak to six.

The wrestlers will resume their season on January 10 with another quadrangular meet, but the Crimson's first Ivy League contest--January 30 against Cornell--will be what Lee calls "a severe test."