CLEVELAND – For the University of Pennsylvania wrestling team, Day One of the NCAA Championships can come down to one word: momentum. After a series of tough early losses, the Quakers rallied late Thursday night to secure spots in Day Two of competition for No. 7 Frank Mattiace at 197, Joe Velliquette at 157, and Joe Heyob at 184.
 
In the first bout of the day, May Bethea took on Gordon Wolf (Lehigh) in a rematch of the consolation semifinals from EIWAs. Though Bethea emerged victorious the first time around, he wasn't able to make it two in a row at NCAAs. A late takedown plus back points for Wolf proved too much, preventing Bethea from winning his third straight NCAA opening-round match in a 13-8 decision.
 
Bethea was a part of the first slate of matches as competition resumed Thursday evening, taking on Duke's Zach Finesilver in the opening consolation bout. Bethea tried making his moves early and often, but Finesilver was able to respond point for point. After falling into a three-point deficit in the third, Bethea tried to mount a comeback, but couldn't string enough together. An 11-4 decision ended competition for Bethea at his third consecutive NCAA Championships.
 
Velliquette was the next Quaker to see action Thursday morning, taking on eighth-seeded Tyler Berger (Nebraska) in their first-ever meeting. Velliquette was put on the defensive early, and a quick takedown by Berger forced the Penn senior to try to play catchup the entire match. He wasn't able to string enough together and was dealt a 9-3 decision.
 
But Velliquette wasn't ready to finish his first trip to NCAAs on the first day. After a scoreless first period in his bout against Oregon State's Hunter Willits, Velliquette put up 1:45 of riding time to go along with four back points, and advantage he carried through the final period to secure a 6-1 decision and a spot in Day Two.
 
Wrestling in his second NCAAs, Heyob squared off with a familiar foe: Binghamton's Steven Schneider. The two had met three times prior, with the previous bouts decided by a total of four points.
 
It would be another close one Thursday morning. After two periods, a takedown by Schneider contributed the only points on the board. Heyob couldn't swing more than an escape after starting the final period down, however, and dropped the match, 4-1.
 
Heyob ran out of time in his first match; he wasn't willing to let that happen again. In his consolation match against Oklahoma State's Keegan Moore, no one scored in the first. The grapplers were just barely into the second period before Heyob made his move, ultimately pinning the 184-pound Cowboy with 1:29 left in the period—securing his own spot in Day Two in the process.
 
No. 7 Mattiace knew what he would have to do going up against Army's Rocco Caywood in the first round. Having defeated Caywood twice before, Mattiace was prepared to have to attack early—and he did just that. The senior logged a takedown just 14 seconds into the match and rode out the first period for a crucial 2:46 of riding time. Haywood tied it up in the second at 3-3, and each grappler took a point in the third. It was the riding time that did it, and Mattiace secured the 5-4 first-round win.
 
The script was flipped against Mattiace in the Round of 16. Taking on Lehigh's Chris Weiler, Mattiace was on the receiving end of a quick takedown and faced a 2-1 deficit after the first period. With the match tied in the third, an official review netted Weiler an escape followed by a quick takedown, however, and left the senior with too little time to come back in a 6-4 decision and forcing him to make his move in wrestlebacks starting on Day Two.
 
JOE VELLIQUETTE (157 Pounds)
1st Round: lost to No. 8 Tyler Berger (Nebraska), 9-3
Consi. Round of 16: def. Hunter Willits (Oregon State), 6-1
 
MAY BETHEA (165 Pounds)
Prelim.: lost to Gordon Wolf (Lehigh), 13-8
Prelim. Consi.: lost to Zach Finesilver (Duke), 11-4
 
JOE HEYOB (184 Pounds)
1st Round: lost to No. 13 Steven Schneider (Binghamton), 4-1
Consi. Round of 16: def. Keegan Moore (Oklahoma State), FALL (3:31)
 
No. 7 FRANK MATTIACE (197 Pounds)
1st Round: defeated Rocco Caywood (Army), 5-4
Round of 16: lost to Chris Weiler (Lehigh), 6-4
 
2008 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Schedule (All Times Eastern)
Session III – Friday, March 16 at 11 a.m. (ESPNU)
Session IV – Friday, March 16 at 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Session V – Saturday, March 17 at 11 a.m. (ESPNU)
Championship Finals – Saturday, March 17 at 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
*All six sessions will be livestreamed via the Watch ESPN App and ESPN3, showing every match on every mat.
 
Day Two for Penn Wrestling
157: Joe Velliquette v. No. 10 Markus Scheidel (Columbia), Consi. of 16 #2
184: Joe Heyob v. No. 14 Nick Gravina (Rutgers), Consi. of 16 #2
197: No. 7 Frank Mattiace v. Hunter Ritter (Wisconsin), Consi. of 16 #2

Watch along on ESPN3 and follow the Day Two action on Twitter with @PennWrestling