Princeton won the Ivy League title, its first since 1986 (Photo/Beverly Schafer)For the first time since 1986, the Princeton wrestling team is the Ivy League champion. For the first time since 1986, the Tigers beat Cornell. And for the first time since 2002, ending in incredible 92-match Ivy League win streak, an Ivy team has won a dual match against the Big Red, which had won every Ivy League title outright since 2003.
Though there was plenty of anticipation entering the day, through the halftime intermission, Princeton's victory was far from assured. Cornell took three of the first four matches contested after beginning at heavyweight, building a 10-4 lead with third-ranked Patrick Glory holding Dominic LaJoie scoreless and getting a major decision at 125 for Princeton's lone win in that span.
Matthew Kolodzik, a three-time All-America who returned to competition for Princeton only Saturday, battled Cornell's Hunter Richard to a decision at 149, and Cornell held the lead halfway through at 10-7.
That match began a string of five victories that not only turned the match for Princeton, but ended in a crescendo with Travis Stefanik's 10-4 victory at 184 that unleashed a roar unseen in the program in 34 years.
First, fourth-ranked Quincy Monday tied it up at 10-10 with a decision at 157. Grant Cuomo turned the tide Princeton's way with an 8-1 decision at 165. Kevin Parker's 10-3 win at 174 sustained the momentum, and put the match in Stefanik's hands with the possibility to clinch or let Cornell back in as Princeton led 16-10 with two matches left.
Stefanik delivered, beating Jonathan Loew 10-4 to put Princeton ahead 19-10 with a battle between national top-four wrestlers at 197 still to go. Cornell's fourth-ranked Ben Darmstadt won it over third-ranked Patrick Brucki, but Princeton's historic moment was already complete.
The Tigers will look to complete a perfect Ivy season for the first time since that 1986 Ivy title when Penn visits Dillon Gym next Saturday at noon.
Results:
HWT: Brendan Furman (Cornell) wins by major decision over Aidan Conner (Princeton), 9-0
125: #3 Patrick Glory (Princeton) wins by major decision over Dominic LaJoie (Cornell), 9-0
133: #4 Chas Tucker (Cornell) wins by decision over Ty Agaisse (Princeton), 9-3
141: Noah Baughman (Cornell) wins by decision over Marshall Keller (Princeton), 8-4
149: Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton) wins by decision over Hunter Richard (Cornell), 4-2
157: #4 Quincy Monday (Princeton) wins by decision over Adam Santoro (Cornell), 9-7
165: Grant Cuomo (Princeton) wins by decision over Jakob Brindley (Cornell), 8-1
174: Kevin Parker (Princeton) wins by decision over Andrew Berreyesa (Cornell), 10-3
184: Travis Stefanik (Princeton) wins by decision over Jonathan Loew (Cornell), 10-4
197: #4 Ben Darmstadt (Cornell) wins by decision over #3 Patrick Brucki (Princeton), 11-4
A: 1,049
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