Grapplers still winless following three more losses

Finishing a season strong — or even competing through the middle of a season with intensity — can be a daunting task when a team has a zero in the "W" column and a steadily growing number in the "L" column. The task can be twice as tough when all of the losses are utter blowouts.

Such is the predicament for the wrestling team, which entered last Saturday's Northeast Collegiate Duals with high hopes, only to leave empty-handed as three losses dropped the Tigers to 0-4 on the season. The Tigers compete in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association during the regular season.

Princeton fell in its weekend opener to American, 41-6, recording its only points on a forfeit in the 149-pound weight class.

In the noon match, against Binghamton, sophomore Steve Savin and freshman Zach Morse each recorded wins by decision at the 141- and 197-pound weight classes, respectively, but the Bearcats swept the rest en route to a 36-5 victory.

In the day's third match, Hofstra routed the Tigers 46-6, again with Princeton's only points scored on a forfeit at the 125 level.

The Tigers' first loss of the season came on Nov. 18, when they fell 40-4 to Buffalo. Junior captain Marty Everin had the team's lone victory, a major decision at the 157-pound level. With the exception of Everin, many of Princeton's woes can be attributed to a failure to perform at the right time, not a lack of hard work in practice.

"Buffalo was a tough loss," first year head coach Chris Ayres said. "I felt that the wrestlers did not compete like they practice and found that a little frustrating."

Ayres did not place complete blame on the athletes for their defeats, as they face the difficult task of learning a new coaching system.

"Under pressure, athletes will revert back to the things they are most accustomed to and have trouble applying new things," Ayres said. "The transition is not going to happen overnight, and I have to be patient with the wrestlers."

Over the team's four matches, Princeton has only won five individual matches, two of which came by forfeit.

"Nobody likes to lose," junior John Clore said. "And after a year in the cellar of the EIWA, we are particularly ready to break out."

While Everin was the only Tiger able to score in the Buffalo match, he was unfortunately lost to injury for Saturday's tripleheader. Against American, the closest a Princeton grappler came to victory — aside from senior Jesse Palermo's forfeit win — was Morse, who dropped a 10-6 decision.

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Against Hofstra — a match in which the Tigers' only team points came on a forfeit win by freshman Nikhil Pereira-Kamath — Princeton lost its decision matches by an average of 14 points, not including its three losses by falls.

Princeton's wrestlers have three more dual matches before they enter their EIWA season.