When a team has been unable to clinch a victory on the road, one might hope that a return to home turf with scores of excited alumni celebrating the homecoming match would make a difference.
Unfortunately for the wrestling team, that did not happen. After losing every game of their season-opening road trip, the Tigers were cut little slack by a feisty Maryland squad during their homecoming match in Dillon on Sunday, falling 42-3 to the Terrapins.
Princeton produced some particularly competitive matches, namely those of freshmen Mark Alvarez at 157 pounds and Zack Morse at 197 pounds. Morse was the only Tiger who was able to produce a win, giving the Princeton squad its only points of the day.
Opening his match — the ninth of the day — in the defensive position, Morse managed to escape the hold of Maryland's Rich DiPietro to gain the lead. Morse then ended the period by taking down DiPietro and preventing him from escaping. Morse would maintain that lead through the second period, and in the third period, he foiled DiPietro's takedown attempt and produced another takedown of his own, winning the match. Morse's victory, his second of the season, was rewarded with a standing ovation from the excited crowd.
Alvarez just short
Before the single victory late in the meet, Alvarez had produced the most competitive bout. After the Terrapins' Spencer Hollerith got off to an early lead, Alvarez remained levelheaded, preventing Hollerith from advancing any further through the second period. Alvarez came close to winning when he took down Hollerith in the final period. Unfortunately, Alvarez, was unable to produce a final move to gain the three points needed for victory.
"Mike Alvarez lost a hard-fought battle, but I think he fought the whole time," head coach Chris Ayres said. "He did almost everything in his power to try and win the match."
"I want just want them to fight," Ayres added. "I want them to let it rip for seven minutes every match, and we are not always doing that, which I see as a problem, because the one thing [in a match] you control is your fight."
Aside from a few close matches, Maryland controlled the day. Freshman Nikhil Pereira was defeated by a technical fall six minutes, one second into his match, and freshman Jeff Kirchick and senior Stephen Savin were pinned in the third minute of their matches. Maryland also won an 18-6 major decision over senior Jesse Palermo before Alvarez's match ended the first period.
The second period would continue much like the first, beginning with a 16-5 major decision over sophomore Alex Enriquez, an 18-5 major decision against junior John Clore and a technical fall by sophomore Gordon Scharf at 2:47 before Morse earned the team's sole win.
Heavyweight senior Kris Berr's match against Maryland's John Price raised hopes that Princeton might be able to end the meet with a second win. Berr withstood repeated takedown attempts from the highly aggressive Price — who seemed to favor grabbing at the crotch — while utilizing a calmer style to keep the match scoreless for the first two periods. Unfortunately, Price was able to completely control the final period, pinning Berr in the last minute to give the Terrapins six final points.
Having finished the home meet against Maryland, the Tigers will face Rutgers in a match later today.
Princeton will then have some time off for Winter Break, as its next match is not until Jan. 6 at Duke.
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