On to Vegas!

Two weeks prior to its trip to the premiere tournament in collegiate wrestling in Las Vegas, the Harvard wresting squad enjoyed one of its best weekends ever.

On Saturday, the Crimson won four out of 10 matches against the nation's fifth-rated team, Iowa State, falling 12-19. Then the Crimson crushed Bucknell and Boston University in successive matches, 34-10 and 31-3.

The weekend represents a huge step for a Harvard team that wants to prove it can compete at the national level.

"We've set our sights pretty high," said junior Dustin DeNunzio. "This weekend is very representative of [the level where we hope to compete]."

The day featured notable performances from several wrestlers. Denunzio (134 pounds), freshman Matt Picarsik (sp)(126), Junior Ed Mosely (167), and sophomore Joseph Killar all recorded three wins on the day. Denunzio's three wins include a 2-1 overtime triumph over currently ranked third nationally.

Picarsik also notched big victories and has quickly adapted to wrestling at the collegiate level.

"He's a very tough freshman," DeNunzio said. "He beat the number two seed in the conference last week for us."

The Crimson also preformed in the opening match, they seemed to improve throughout the day.

"We really went after [Iowa St.]," said Harvard Coach Jay Weiss. "But I really thought if we wrestled as well against them as we did the rest of the day, we could have beaten them."

The Harvard squad actually came quite close to winning all three as it were.

"One or two of the matches could have gone either way, Weiss said. "Even the matches we lost [were close]."

Iowa St. 19, Harvard 12

118--C. Sanderson (I) def Butera, 14-12; 126--Picarsic (H) def A. Wollner, 8-3; 134--D. DeNunzio (H) def #3 D. Hinson, 2-1 (SD); 142--#6 C. Sanderson (I) def. Kiler, 7-4; 150--D. Maldonado (I) def. Griesemer, 10-4, 158--Killar (H) def B. Schwab, 6-1;

167--E. Mosley (H) def M. Pafitz, 2-1; 177--B. Horton (I) def Volpe, 5-4;

190--Z. Thompson (I) def Soltis 2-1; HWT--T. Hynek (I) def R. Durbin, 5-15

Harvard 34, BU 10

118--P. Aquado (H) def K. El-Hayek, WBF (6:20); 126--M. Picarsic def Octavious Viera, 8-0; 134--D. DeNunzio (H) def J. Hernandez, 13-7; 142--C. Simmons (BU) def T. Kiler, 5-4; 150--K. Kurtz (H) def T. Cavin, 11-6; 158--J. Killar (H) def #7 B. Alimoradran, WBF (4:05); 167--E. Mosley (H) def J. Cavin, WBF (2:37), 177--Fran Volpe def G. Brier, WBF (3:52); 190--J. Abdullah (BU) def Brad Soltis, 17-8; HWT--D. Reed (BU) def R. Durbin, 3-2.

Harvard 31, Bucknell 3

118--J. Butera (H) def T. Boerner, 5-3 (OT); 126--M.Picarsic (H) def R. Miller, 8-3; 134--D. DeNunzio (H) def B. Chunko, WBF (0:57); 142--T. Kiler (H) def I. Weaver, 6-0; 150--N. Ackerman (H) def R. Fasnacht, 6-0; 158--J. Killar def B. Pitzer, 7-6; 167--E. Mosley (H) def J. Bellis, 9-4; 177--C. Anderson (H) def M.Cerrone, 13-1; 190--B. Soltis (H) def K. Cooper, 7-5 (OT); HWT--J. Fisher (B) def R. Durbin, 8-1.