Harvard's varsity wrestling team fell behind, 14-0, then proceeded to lose an important New England meet, 22-13, to the University of Massachusetts last night in Amherst.

"The loss was not discouraging but very disappointing. It's nothing that can't be corrected," coach John Lee said. "There's no real problem, except we want to win very badly and for the second straight year we lost."

A victory for the Crimson would have made it top challenger to Springfield's claim as the top team in New England. Harvard's record dropped to 4-2, while Massachusetts remained undefeated at 4-0.

The scoring went in streaks as the Redmen dominated the lighter weight classes and the Crimson took middle weight classes. UMass had Harvard at an early 14-point disadvantage after four matches, a fate that has often hampered the Crimson this season.

"We're not as bad in the lower weight classes as we were last season, but there's still no way we can overcome a 14-0 deficit," Lee confessed.

At 142 pounds, Harvard captain Pat Coleman lost a 5-1 decision to Redman captain and former New England champion Sheldon Goldberg.

The match was much closer than the score indicates. Coleman found himself down, 2-1, in the second period, then Goldberg stretched the margin in the final minutes when Coleman, in an effort to score, became reckless and was taken down.

Mike Slutzker, wrestling at 150 pounds, was in his first match of the season as a result of Lee's lineup change this week. Slutzker was outstanding as he pinned his opponent at 7:35, "It was a damn good performance," Lee said.

Mark Faller, down a weight class at 158, Tony Rayner in his first match of the year at 167, and Richie Starr at 177 all provided points for the Crimson.

Faller and Starr decided their fores, 16-4, and 4-1, while Rayner fought to a tight 1-1 tie with last year's New England champion, Tom Young.

At 190, Dave Scanlon lost a 5-4 decision to the Redmen's Tom Carlson. The loss sealed the match for UMass.