The wrestling team faced Ivy League opponents for the first time this season over the weekend and emerged with mixed decisions. On Friday, the Bears suffered a 33-4 loss to No. 14 University of Pennsylvania, then lost 22-14 to non-conference opponent Drexel University the same day. However, the Bears bounced back in a big way the next day, dominating their dual meet against Princeton and posting a nearly perfect score of 47-0. The team currently holds a record of 2-5 in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association, and 2-9 overall.
Brown faced a difficult task when it opened its weekend at Penn. The Quakers boast five nationally ranked wrestlers, all of whom lived up to their hype. Matt Valenti, ranked No. 2 in the nation in the 133-pound weight class, beat Jeff Schell '08 in a major decision, 14-4. The rest of the team followed Valenti's lead as the Quakers recorded five major decisions on the day.
"We know we were outgunned (by Penn) at this point, but it almost seemed like the wrestlers were not bothered by losing," said Assistant Coach Mike Burch. "Even if you lose, you should give everything you have, wrestle with good strategies and spirit ... but there wasn't the effort to execute against Penn."
Co-captain Levon Mock '08 gave the team's best performance against Penn when he won with a major decision of 12-1 in the heavyweight class. The four points he earned for the win were the only points Bears managed to record against the Quakers.
"It seems that some of the guys are getting (nervous) and afraid to make mistakes, so they don't do anything to score points in their matches, and they can't win," Mock wrote in an e-mail to The Herald. "As the sole captain left competing, I feel that setting an example out on the mat is important."
Brown mounted a quick turnaround, facing Drexel immediately after the match with Penn. Burch said the Bears learned from their mistakes against Penn and brought more competitiveness and intensity against the Dragons.
In the opening match, Matt Gevelinger '09 earned four points for the team with a 19-9 major decision at 184 pounds. After the Bears lost in the 197-pound weight class, Zach Zdrada '09, Schell and Mark Savino '08 strung together consecutive wins to give Brown a 14-9 edge. Unfortunately, the Bears were unable to hold onto the lead and lost the final four matches of the dual. Brown has now dropped its last three duals to Drexel.
"These two duals showed that a lot of the problems we face are not as much technical as emotional," Burch said. "I attribute this to ... the youthfulness of the team, and the absence of key seniors who would have raised the level of intensity in the practice rooms."
After a disappointing opening to the weekend, Brown had a complete turnaround on Saturday against Princeton, winning every match. Princeton is a much weaker opponent, but the coaching staff was still satisfied to see the team exhibit more aggressiveness and tenacity on the mats. Of the nine who competed, seven Brown wreslers earned bonus points, and Schell scored six points as a result of a forfeit. Classmates Greg Einfrank '10 at 125 pounds, Bryan Tracy '10 at 149 pounds and Bran Crudden '10 at 165 pounds all picked up six points with pins. At 141 pounds, Savino had a major decision with a 10-2 victory, as did Gevelinger at 184 and Mock at heavyweight.
"We should dominate Princeton, which we did," Burch said. "Hopefully, this will give the team the momentum for upcoming duals."
The team will travel to Boston next weekend to square off against Harvard and Boston University.
