Winless season ends with huge loss to Quakers

Freshman 125-pounder Tony Comunale was faced with the tall task of wrestling No. 12 Rollie Peterkin in the first match of the evening. After suffering a quick takedown, Comunale fought through a few close calls. Comunale surrendered only four points in the first two periods but was unable to score any himself.

In the final period, Comunale notched a point with an escape and seemed to be rejuvenated, but Peterkin held him off and earned a reversal with four seconds left to take a 6-1 victory.

Freshman 184-pounder Anthony Salerno saw his first action in three months against the Quakers’ Dan Zander. Salerno hung tough, surrendering two takedowns in the first period but holding Zander scoreless in the second period. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Salerno — much like several of his teammates — was unable to score many points himself. In the third period, Zander broke the match open with two takedowns and a back point. Salerno’s two escapes were not nearly enough, as he fell 10-2.

Freshman 174-pounder Travis Erdman wrestled to a similar result. After battling hard with Penn’s Scott Giffin for two periods, Erdman nearly broke through early in the third period with what would have been his first takedown. Giffin stymied the charge, however, escaping Erdman’s grasp and scoring a series of takedowns himself. Erdman wound up with a 15-4 loss.

Junior 165-pounder Alex Enriquez fell 19-7 to No. 17 Zack Shanaman. Shanaman, who was ranked No. 11 in his weight class before the season began, had the upper hand throughout the match. He and Enriquez repeatedly traded takedowns for escapes, and Enriquez’s one good shot at a takedown failed.

Sophomore 197-pounder Zach Morse dueled the Quakers’ Thomas Shovlin to a close 2-1 score through one period but let the match get away in the second period. Shovlin scored a reversal and six back points to open up a 10-2 lead. The third period was more of the same, as Morse fought doggedly but ultimately fell, 19-5.

Junior Robert Benitez was pinned in one minute, 14 seconds by Penn’s Bryan Ortenzio in the 133-pound weight class.

Sunday night was senior night for Princeton, but unfortunately for the Tigers, seniors Johnny Clore and Sam Ritter were both sidelined with injuries. The Tigers were forced to forfeit the 141-pound, 149-pound and heavyweight brackets. Their only points came from a forfeit win in the 157-pound bracket, where junior Marty Everin returned from injury.

Head coach Chris Ayres was disappointed with the Tigers’ performance.

“We have to wrestle better in all positions,” Ayres said. “We got rode in the bottom position and didn’t defend when they attacked.”

But Ayres feels that improvement is definitely achievable before the upcoming EIWA Tournament.

“We know how to succeed. We just need to refocus and get our heads right,” Ayres said.

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With the regular season over, Princeton now has two weeks to prepare for the EIWA Tournament. The top four finishers in each weight division qualify for the NCAA Tournament. While the Tigers were not able to win a dual meet this season, there are definitely individuals on the team capable of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Comunale and Erdman each finished with only two losses in the Ivy League, and Ritter held a 10-3 dual meet record before suffering an injury against Harvard.

“The goal right now is to get a couple of guys to the nationals,” Ayres said. “We’re capable of good performances, but we can’t fight like we fought tonight.”

It’ll be two weeks before Princeton hits the mat again, and if the Tigers come out with renewed intensity, there just might be a flash of Orange and Black at the NCAA Tournament.