The start of the Ivy season has the potential to serve as redemption for a disappointed bunch.
After a vicious rout at the hands of No. 6 Hofstra, the Penn wrestlers look to rebound this weekend with a slate of four matches at the Palestra.
The Pride came to Philadelphia last Saturday and proved they deserve their top five ranking. The Quakers were never close and only won one match en route to a 31-3 decision.
"We came out flat," coach Zeke Jones said. The match "exposed where we need to get to."
With the team in agreement with Jones, the Quakers hope to address this weekend.
"We did not compete to our fullest," senior Matt Eveleth said. "We have been working really hard this week."
The first match will feature Penn's debut showdown against an Ivy League opponent this season. Brown comes to town for a 10 a.m. start this morning.
The Quakers beat the Bears 26-10 in Providence last season. Penn won seven of 10 matches, including two by major decision. The Quakers are looking for their 14th straight victory against Brown.
Brown has had a tough dual-meet season thus far. Their 1-7 record has been a disappointment. Although the last couple of Ivy League seasons have been dominated by Cornell and Penn, the Quakers respect the conference competition.
"We will be wrestling a very good Brown team this weekend," Jones said.
At noon, the junior-varsity team hits the mats to grapple with Delaware State. The Hornets are not exactly a wrestling powerhouse. The 0-5 squad was pummeled at the Bloomsburg Duals, where they were never close to threatening any of the three teams they faced.
At 2 p.m., the varsity team returns to face off against intracity rival Drexel. The Dragons have a respectable 12-9 record, but lack top talent. None of the starters are nationally ranked.
Last year, the Quakers pounded the Dragons 37-2.
The Quakers then rest up to prepare for Harvard tomorrow at 1 p.m. The Crimson have maintained a consistent program for several years, and No. 6 J.P. O'Connor leads the team with his national ranking in the 148-pound weightclass. Supporting him are top-20 ranked wrestlers at 133, 141, and 184 pounds.
Harvard began the season at No. 22 and remained there for several weeks. Some poor performances, including an 0-3 showing at the Lonestar Duals, knocked the Crimson out of the top 25. A win over Penn could move the team back up.
But history is working against Harvard - the Quakers have beaten the Crimson 16 straight times, including a sound 30-14 win last year in Cambridge.
"Any time you are in the Ivy League the competition is tough," Jones said.
Perhaps so. But for a nationally-ranked team gunning for the NCAA Tournament, a loss against any of these teams would be a disaster.
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