If the Penn wrestling team is going to make a move, it will have to be soon.
A week after being soundly defeated by Cornell and then losing a disappointing match to Columbia, the Quakers will try to turn it around this weekend with three scheduled matches.
With the pair of losses, the team dropped four spots in the rankings to No. 20. The losses essentially eliminated Penn (7-7) from the chance at an Ivy title.
"Last weekend was pretty disappointing for everyone on the team," sophomore Brett McCurdy said. "At the same time, we have attitude again."
Penn will look to channel that attitude against some tough competition. The Quakers start the weekend at home on Saturday with a 2 p.m. start against No. 19 Nebraska. Like the Quakers, the Cornhuskers (8-7) have had an up and down season. However, their record reflects the fact that they have already faced eight ranked teams this season.
One of the key matchups in that match will be in the 125-pound weightclass. Penn No. 20 Matt Eveleth will face off against No. 13 Paul Donahoe.
Another unexpected battle may occur at 157 pounds. Previously-ranked Matt Dragon will face off against No. 17 Chris Oliver, who upset then top-ranked C.P. Schlatter of Minnesota last week.
The Quakers will have their recent history on their minds. After Penn suffered a tough loss against Hofstra, it bounced back for three straight victories, including an Ivy win over Brown.
The Quakers will not have long to rest after the showdown with the Big 12 opponent.
Later that day, Penn will hit the road for a 7:30 start against Princeton (0-16). The Tigers, to say the least, are in disarray. Their resume includes four shutouts, most recently a 56-0 drubbing at the hands of Cornell.
The Red and Blue may not be able to hold out hopes of a league title, but a win in New Jersey is probably a safe bet.
On Sunday, Penn has to travel back to its home state to meet Lehigh in Bethlehem. The No. 24 Mountain Hawks have been the EIWA's most successful team for years. But this season, the team has been rebuilding after many of its top talent graduated.
Last year, a lower-ranked Lehigh team came into the Palestra and upset the Quakers, but this year the match will be played at Lehigh, a school well known for its passionate wrestling fans.
"Lehigh is always an exciting match," McCurdy said.
At 184 pounds, No. 14 Lior Zamir will face off against freshman No. 12 David Craig. This is the sort of match the Quakers need to win to make up for potential losses elsewhere.
"If everyone wrestles at the top of their game we have the capability to beat these teams," sophomore Ben Reiter said.
The question once again is whether the Quakers can come out and beat a quality opponent. Penn has yet to beat a ranked opponent this season, even though it always been in the top 20. The hope is that they are saving their best for last.
"Last year throughout the season, a lot of guys pulled through at the end," Reiter said. "I think the same thing can happen again."
