The Harvard matmen sank under a succession of strong and experienced Cornell grapplers in a lopsided 25-12 loss yesterday at the IAB.

In its first meet since January 19, the team showed the effects of its 20-day break by losing nine of its twelve matches, often in the final minutes of wrestling.

Only two Harvard wrestlers avoided the mistakes from weariness that seemed to plague the rest. After a slow start, Dan Blakinger, at 118 lbs., turned a weak move by a quick but inferior Andy Little into a near-fall that gave him his match-winning points in the third period.

In the most exciting match of the day, George Baker, at 142 lbs., outclassed Cornell's Kevin Schneider by alternating bursts of speed with strength mvves that gave him total control.

Baker wrapped up his man with a reverse cradle in the final period that resulted in a pin with half a minute left to go in the match, adding six more team points to the three provided by Blakinger's decision.

Milt Yasunaga, at 126 lbs., displayed a library of moves that Cornell's Dave Schaefer continually countered and turned into pinning combinations, resulting in a brilliant 17-2 decision for Schaefer.

Bill Haley, at 134 lbs., and John Keough, at 167 lbs., lost crucial matches in close decisions that pointed out the team's weakness from its layoff.

A tired Haley stalled in the third period, giving away one point that proved decisive in his 6-5 loss. Keough showed more and better moves than Cornell's Tom Sheppard, but made numerous mistakes that Sheppard turned into a third-period 12-10 decision.

"We needed a pin from Keough and a decision in the 134-lb. class, and neither quite came through," Harvard coach John Lee said after the match.

"Cornell should take the Ivy League this year, like it did last year," Lee said, but added that he expected his team to make a better showing in upcoming matches against Yale and Columbia.