Princeton University Athletics
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Wrestling Teams Looks To Build Win Streak At Columbia, No. 21 Rutgers
February 12, 2015 | Wrestling
VIDEO: A CELEBRATION OF PRINCETON WRESTLING
The Princeton wrestling team will look to run its win streak to five matches during a pair of close road trips this weekend. The Tigers will continue their march through the Ivy League Friday (6 pm) at Columbia, and then will make the short trip to New Brunswick for a showdown with No. 21 Rutgers.
The Columbia match will be streamed live on the Ivy League Digital Network, and there will be live results here. There is no video streaming of the Rutgers match, though you can also follow both matches live through the team's official Twitter feed (@TigerWrestling).
Princeton has won three straight matches, including a home Ivy League doubleheader last weekend during its "Celebration of Princeton Wrestling." If you haven't seen it yet, check out the video produced by Robert Perry about the alumni perspective on both the past and current Princeton squads (see link atop this release).
The Tigers have four 20-match winners on the season, including team leaders Abram Ayala and Brett Harner, both of whom have 23 victories apiece. Ayala, an NCAA Championships qualifier last season, has won five of his last six matches and has multiple wins over nationally ranked competition throughout the season.
Harner had one of the biggest wins of his career last weekend when he defeated 2014 All-America Ophir Bernstein during Princeton's 17-16 victory over Brown. Bernstein eliminated Harner from the EIWA Championships last year, but Harner showed his vast improvement by scoring the only two takedowns in a 5-1 win.
Both Jordan Laster and Jonathan Schleifer also hit the 20-win mark last week, and sophomore heavyweight Ray O'Donnell has a chance to reach that mark this weekend. He is currently 18-14, though he has the opportunity at a true statement win when he takes on 14th-ranked Billy Smith of Rutgers on Saturday.