In what was predicted as the Bombers’ matchup of the year in The Ithacan’s “Winter Sports Preview,” the wrestling team entered the ring with a record of 7–5 in an attempt to upset the 7th-ranked Wilkes University Colonels.

In the end, the Bombers fell short on Senior Day, dropping the contest 19-12 with nine of the 10 matches coming down to decisions.

The Bombers raced to a strong lead early as senior Ricky Gomez, junior Dom Giacolone and sophomore Alex Gomez all decisively won the first three matches of the evening.

The Colonels turned things around, winning the final six of seven matches led by 149-pound sophomore Mark Hartenstine and 157-pound Kris Krawchuk, who ranked 2nd and 4th nationally in their respective weight classes.

One of the most decisive matches of the evening came in the 157-pound bout, as Krawchuk upset 6th-ranked senior Derek Brenon. Krawchuk defeated Brenon, driving him out of the ring in the third period to get the victory 9-8.

The Bombers will now have two weeks before they travel to Worcester, Mass., to compete in the NCAA Northeast Regional Competition, where they placed 2nd last season.