PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania wrestling program was hit with a setback today as the Quakers were defeated by No. 17 Cornell and Columbia in The Palestra.
 
Penn looked to be in pole position for its fifth consecutive EIWA victory against Columbia. The Quakers won three of the first four matches, but the Lions stormed back—with a tech. fall at 184 heavily contributing—to take an 11-9 lead. Penn clawed itself back in front as Colaiocco put the Quakers in front, 15-14 heading into the final match. However, a late third-period takedown proved to be the difference as a 4-3 decision in the final match gave the Lions a 17-15 victory.
 
The second match wasn't quite as close, unfortunately. Doug Zapf got things underway with his second victory of the day, but Cornell won the next seven matches to ultimately claim a 30-6 victory.
 
NOTES
*No. 16 Doug Zapf continued to impress in his sophomore season. With a pair of decisions today, he moved to 22-5 on the season, 8-1 in duals, 13-0 against EIWA wrestlers, and 8-0 against Ivy League wrestlers.
 
*Fourteenth-ranked Michael Colaiocco also snagged a pair of decisions today. The freshman is now 17-5 on the season and 5-2 in duals.
 
*Three Penn starters missed each of today's duals, with No. 14 Anthony Artalona (157), Jesse Quatse (184), and Ben Goldin (285) all sidelined with injuries. The Quakers lost the dual in each of those three weight classes in both matches today.
 
Recapping Columbia
Penn started the day with some incredible performances to develop an early lead against the Lions. Zapf got things started with a 5-2 decision. Columbia's Matt Kazimir escaped in the third period to cut Zapf's lead to 3-2, but Zapf iced the match with a takedown with 30 seconds on the clock to seal a 5-2 victory.
 
Lucas Revano kept things going in nearly an identical match. Once again, the Columbia opponent escaped early in the third period to make it a 3-2 match. Revano, however, responded with two takedowns for a 7-3 decision.
 
The Lions would respond at 157 as Kyle Mosher dealt Cam Connor a 7-1 decision, but Jacob Lizak would get Penn back on track. The senior had full control of the match, with two takedowns in the first two period paving the way for a 5-3 victory. The decision gave Penn a 9-3 lead.
 
At this point, the Lions would change the tone of the match. Neil Antrassian looked poised for a victory, up 9-4 with ten seconds remaining in the 174 match. However, Lennox Wolak scored seven points in the final seconds of the match, with a takedown, stalling, and back points tilting the scale for a 10-9 decision.
 
In the 184 match, Joe Franzese gave the Lions their first lead of the day, 11-9, with a 19-4 tech fall. Cole Urbas put Penn back in front in the next match. In a cagey contest which was tied 1-1 after three periods, the freshman almost immediately got a takedown in the first extra period for a 3-1 sudden victory. The decision put Penn back in front, 12-11.
 
Columbia once again came back, as Dan Conley defeated Nate Hoaglund, 4-1 in the heavyweight match. Rounding back to the lower weight classes where Penn's talent is stacked, the Quakers looked poised to take the victory.
 
Colaiocco responded with a decision in a topsy-turvy match. Down 2-0 early, the freshman escaped and secured a takedown to take a 3-2 lead heading into the second period. He quickly escaped after starting bottom and responded to a Lions takedown with an immediate reversal for a 6-4 lead. Another takedown in the final period sealed an 8-5 decision.
 
Carmen Ferrante received the call to try and seal the dual victory with Penn up 15-14. A 2019 NCAA Qualifier, Ferrante got off to a fantastic start with a takedown just 17 seconds into the match. A pair of escapes from Angelo Rini made it a 2-2 match, but a Ferrante escape put him back in front with a grasp on riding time—having accumulated over a minute and a half in his favor. However, Rini got a takedown and held on to whittle Ferrante's riding time to less than a minute for a 4-3 decision which sealed a 17-15 dual victory for Columbia.
 
Recapping Cornell
Once again, Zapf got the Quakers off to a positive start with a decision to start the dual. Tied 1-1 in the third period, Zapf snagged a leg and brought Cornell's Noah Baughman to the mat for a takedown and a 3-1 lead. Baughman escaped to cut the dual to one point but was not quick enough as he ran out of time.
 
The Big Red—who have now won 92-consecutive Ivy League Duals and each of the last 18 Ivy League titles—responded in a big way. Cornell won the next seven matches, including a pair of pins, to take a commanding, 27-3 lead.
 
Michael Colaiocco saved some face as three takedowns gave him a 6-3 decision over Dominic LaJoie. Fifth-ranked Charles Tucker prevented a positive ending, taking a 10-3 decision to seal a 30-6 win for Cornell.
 
UP NEXT
The Quakers will look to bounce back with a trio of EIWA matches next weekend, with No. 16 Princeton, Drexel, and Franklin & Marshall all on the docket.
 
Columbia defeats Penn, 17-15
141: #16 Doug Zapf dec. Matt Kazimir, 5-2; Penn leads 3-0
149: Lucas Revano (Penn) dec. Andrew Garr (Columbia), 7-3; Penn leads 6-0
157: Kyle Mosher (Columbia) dec. Cam Connor (Penn), 7-1; Penn leads 6-3
165: Jacob Lizak (Penn) dec. Riley Jacops (Columbia), 5-3; Penn leads 9-3
174: Lennox Wolak (Columbia) dec. Neil Antrassian (Penn), 10-9; Penn leads 9-6
184: Joe Franzese (Columbia) tech. fall John Stout (Penn), 19-4; Columbia leads 11-9
197: Cole Urbas (Penn) dec. Sam Wustefeld (Columbia) 3-1 SV-1; Penn leads 12-11
285: Dan Conley (Columbia) dec. Nate Hoaglund (Penn), 4-1; Columbia leads 14-12
125: Michael Colaiocco (Penn) dec. #27 Joe Manchio (Columbia), 8-5; Penn leads 15-14
133: Angelo Rini (Columbia) dec. Carmen Ferrante (Penn), 4-3; Columbia leads 17-15
 
#17 Cornell defeats Penn, 30-6
141: #16 Doug Zapf (Penn) dec. Noah Baughman (Cornell), 3-2; Penn leads 3-0
149: #25 Hunter Richard (Cornell) dec. Lucas Revano (Penn), 7-2; Tied 3-3
157: Adam Santoro (Cornell) dec. Cam Connor (Penn), 7-1; Cornell leads 6-3
165: Jakob Brindley (Cornell) def. Jacob Lizak (Penn), 5-1; Cornell leads 9-3
174: Andrew Berreyesa (Cornell) def. Neil Antrassian (Penn), 7-6; Cornell leads 12-3
184: Jonathan Loew (Cornell) pins John Stout (Penn), 5:47; Cornell leads 18-3
197: Ben Darmstadt (Cornell) pins Cole Urbas (Penn), 0:24; Cornell leads 24-3
285: Brendan Furman (Cornell) dec. Nate Hoaglund (Penn), 4-0; Cornell leads 27-3
125: #14 Michael Colaiocco (Penn) dec. Dominic LaJoie (Cornell), 6-3; Cornell leads 27-6
133: #5 Charles Tucker (Cornell) dec. Carmen Ferrante (Penn), 10-3; Cornell leads 30-6