Princeton University Athletics
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Wrestlers Drop Ivy League Opener, Prepares For Showdown At Brown
February 03, 2006 | Wrestling
Feb. 4, 2006
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Wins by 174-pound senior Matt DeNichilo and 197-pound senior Jake Butler were not enough Friday to lead the wrestling team to a victory in its Ivy League debut. Harvard got two forfeit wins and picked up another two pins in a 31-13 win over the Tigers.
Without dropping a bead of sweat, Princeton led 6-0 after two matches. Injuries claimed Harvard's 125- and 133-pound wrestler, while Princeton's 133-pound starter, Danny Scotton, was also unavailable to wrestle. That left Tiger 125-pounder Robert Benitez as a forfeit winner at 125 pounds, and no contest at 133 pounds.
Harvard went on a run from there, beginning with a major decision from Max Meltzer, a nationally ranked competitor for the Crimson. The hosts followed with pins from Bobby Latessa and Andrew Flanagan, which opened a 16-6 lead for the Crimson.
Mike Baria won a hard-fought 4-2 decision over Princeton's Marty Everin to open the lead to 19-6, but DeNichilo proved once again he was one of Princeton's top clutch competitors. His 9-0 major decision got Princeton to within 19-10, but the Tigers would be forced to forfeit matches at 184 pounds and heavyweight, so a team victory was out of reach by the time Butler took the mat.
That didn't keep him from continuing his impressive season with a 7-3 victory over Billy Colgan.
Princeton will next wrestle at Brown Saturday afternoon.
Harvard 31, Princeton 13
125 Robert Benitez (P) wbf.
133 no contest
141 Max Meltzer (H) d. Eric Marcotulli 18-5
149 Bobby Latessa (H) WBF Andrew Sichel, 4:25
157 Andrew Flanagan (H) WBF John Clare 1:38
165 Mike Baria (H) d. Martin Everin 4-2
174 Matthew DiNichilo (P) d. Joe Bechtold, 9-0
184 Louis Caputo (H) wbf.
197 Jake Butler (P) d. Billy Colgan 7-3
HWT Bode Ogunwole (H) wbf.