LANCASTER, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall wrestling team won five straight bouts from 141 lbs. through 174 lbs. to take control in an eventual 29-12 EIWA win versus Sacred Heart. The win was the Diplomats' first conference and Independence Division victory of the year as F&M won seven of the 10 bouts overall.

The Diplomats started the dual with Jack Parker receiving a forfeit a 125 lbs. to get the home side out to a 6-0 advantage. The visiting Pioneers answered those points with a fall at 133 lbs. during the second period of a bout that was tied at three-all prior to the SHU fall.

However, Franklin & Marshall stormed through the next five bouts to clinch the dual with a commanding 26-6 lead in the team score. The Division I leader in victories, Bryce Kresho, got that run started at 141 lbs. when he earned a major decision against Andrew Fallon for his 28th victory of the season. Kresho had all three takedowns during his 11-2 major decision. Josh Hillard matched that major decision with a 15-7 win at 149 lbs. After giving up the initial takedown in the first, Hillard escaped and got a takedown plus three near fall to hold a 7-3 lead after three minutes. Leading 8-3 after escaping to start the second, Hillard added the final two takedowns of the match during the third period. His final takedown in the closing seconds officially secured the major decision.

At 157 lbs., Luke Bender also recorded a pair of third period takedowns to come from behind in an 11-9 decision. Bender was trailing SHU's Felix Lettini – a Wisconsin transfer – by an 8-4 score heading to the third period. With his choice, he escaped and added the only offensive points of the final period to put his side up 17-6. Franklin & Marshall's quickest victory of the night came with Josh Palmucci's fall in 1:47 at 165 lbs. as the junior had already earned a stalling warning before his takedown which resulted in his third pin this season. Nick Alvarez capped the five-match winning streak and officially clinched the dual victory with a 6-1 decision at 174 lbs. Neither wrestler was able to score during the first period of that bout, but a takedown in the second and reversal in the third gave Alvarez enough riding time to tack on a riding time point at the final buzzer.

With the team victory secured, the Pioneers won two of the final three bouts to bring the team score to a 29-12 final. They claimed respective 8-5 and 7-3 decisions at 184 lbs. and 285 lbs. However, RJ Moore did split up those two decisions with a 5-1 decisions of his own at 197 lbs. Locked in a 1-1 bout after trading escapes with Chris DeLena, Moore secured a third period takedown and racked up enough riding time to earn that point in the 5-1 final.

Moore's final takedown of the night gave the Diplomats a 13-9 advantage in takedowns on the evening. F&M outscored the visiting Pioneers by a 62-38 margin in bout points and had the only near fall points of the evening which came courtesy of Hillard during his major decision.

After back-to-back home matches, Franklin & Marshall will head to New York next Sunday, February 2 as it prepares to battle both LIU (12 p.m.) and Hofstra (4 p.m.) in those team's respective home gyms. Both of those dual meets will also be EIWA Independence Division matches. F&M returns home to the Mayser Center in two weeks when it battles Drexel at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, February 7.

Franklin & Marshall 29, Sacred Heart 12
125: Jack Parker (F&M) won by forfeit (F&M 6-0)
133: Braxton Fries-Appello (SHU) WBF Mason Leiphart (F&M); 4:17 (Tied 6-6)
141: Bryce Kresho (F&M) maj. Andrew Fallon (SHU); 11-2 (F&M 10-6)
149: Josh Hillard (F&M) maj. Dakota Asuncion (SHU); 15-7 (F&M 14-6)
157: Luke Bender (F&M) dec. Felix Lettini (SHU); 11-9 (F&M 17-6)
165: Josh Palmucci (F&M) WBF Calvin Pineda (SHU); 1:47 (F&M 23-6)
174: Nick Alvarez (F&M) dec. Aidan Zarrella (SHU); 6-1 (F&M 26-6)
184: Hunter Perez (SHU) dec. Leo Varga (F&M); 8-5 (F&M 26-9)
197: RJ Moore (F&M) dec. Chris DeLena (SHU); 5-1 (F&M 29-9)
285: Marc Berisha (SHU) dec.  Brody Kline (F&M); 7-3 (F&M 29-12)