CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – First-year Jack Crook took home one of the four Crimson victories to open the 2023 dual season Saturday at the Malkin Athletic Center. Captain Yaraslau Slavikouski, first-year Alex Whitworth, and junior Joshua Kim were also victorious in their matches this afternoon. The Crimson ultimately fell to the University of North Carolina by a score of 22-12 to open its 2023 dual season. 
 
The Crimson did start a comeback as Joshua Kim and Alex Whitworth won back-to-back matches to shrink the Tar Heel lead to 11-9 through six matchups.

Harvard Highlights 

• At 149 pounds first-year Jack Crook delivered the Crimson's first win the of dual season. A back-and-forth match saw Crook defeat Zach Sherman via a takedown in the final seconds of the third period. 
• UNC led 11-3 after four matches until Joshua Kim defeated Joey Mazzara 6-5 to shrink the Tar Heel lead to 11-6.
• Following Kim's victory, first-year Alex Whitworth stepped in at 174 pounds and muscled out a close matchup against Michael Goldfeder. Whitworth led 2-1 as the first period came to a close and the Dalton, Ga. Native was able to tag on two more points to hold on for a 4-1 victory to bring the deficit down to two.
  
• In the Crimson's last victory of the day, Yaraslau Slavikouski won a closely contested matchup against Aydin Guttridge by a score of 2-1. Slavikouski was able to escape early in the second period to open the scoring before securing the victory via a decision in the final seconds of the third period. 

  Worth another look??#GoCrimson | #OneCrimson https://t.co/sRauaRgLik pic.twitter.com/igQft1T7PZ

  — Harvard Wrestling (@HarvardWrestlin) January 14, 2023

  Slavikouski with a win in the final 10 seconds??
  
  ??:https://t.co/3ZNJcQqOfx#GoCrimson | #OneCrimson pic.twitter.com/m6kEIcPRL9

  — Harvard Wrestling (@HarvardWrestlin) January 14, 2023

  Stepping up and making things happen??
  
  Whitworth shrinks the Tar Heel lead to 2??
  ??:https://t.co/3ZNJcQqOfx#GoCrimson | #OneCrimson pic.twitter.com/n95EsLqodK

  — Harvard Wrestling (@HarvardWrestlin) January 14, 2023

  ??
  
  Josh Kim with a big take down in the third period??
  ??:https://t.co/3ZNJcQqOfx#GoCrimson | #OneCrimson pic.twitter.com/674Ub3SAFJ

  — Harvard Wrestling (@HarvardWrestlin) January 14, 2023

Next Up

The Crimson remain in Cambridge next weekend for a doubleheader against Binghamton University at 12:00 p.m. before a matchup against Cornell at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.

Love the energy today??#GoCrimson | #OneCrimson pic.twitter.com/5sCU4B0yUF

— Harvard Wrestling (@HarvardWrestlin) January 14, 2023

Full Results

133: Jace Palmer (UNC) over Dante Frinzi (HAR) (Dec 10-4)
141: Lachlan McNeil (UNC) over Joseph Cangro (HAR) (MD 21-8)
149: Jack Crook (HAR) over Zachary Sherman (UNC) (Dec 7-5)
157: Austin O`Connor (UNC) over Trevor Tarsi (HAR) (MD 12-3)
165: Josh Kim (HAR) over Joseph Mazzara (UNC) (Dec 6-5)
174: Alex Whitworth (HAR) over Michael Goldfeder (UNC) (Dec 4-1)
184: Gavin Kane (UNC) over Leo Tarantino (HAR) (MD 21-8)
197: Max Shaw (UNC) over Michael Doggett (HAR) (MD 12-4)
285: Yaraslau Slavikouski (HAR) over Aydin Guttridge (UNC) (Dec 2-1)
125: Jack Wagner (UNC) over Diego Sotelo (HAR) (Dec 8-7)