Wrestling: Krop continues tear in loss to Ivy power

Sophomore sensation and 141-pounder Adam Krop continued to lead the Tiger wrestling team this weekend as ittook a commanding 41-9 victory inits match against Millersville on Friday before falling to national power No. 5 Cornell 30-9 Saturday night. Past losses to the Big Red, which has finished second in the nation each of the past two seasons, have lacked any trace of positivity. In 2010, the Tigers fell to the Big Red 3-46. Last season was even more miserable, as Princeton didn’t even take a match against Cornell, losing 0-44. This year, however, Princeton took three victories against the national power, including yet another stunning performance from Krop.

Krop, who was rankedNo. 19nationally heading into this weekend's matches, topped No. 15 Mike Nevinger of Cornell 3-2 in the 141 pound matchup. Krop lost to Nevinger4-0 back on Nov. 15, his first day of competition this season. But that was before Krop went on a tear through the Midlands Tournament, which took place overwinter break. In his match against Millersville, Krop earned a technical fall againstthe Marauders’ Aaron Trimpley 17-2, contributing five points to the team's dominating total. Krop’s only loss sincewinter break began was to the nation’s then-No. 1 wrestler Montell Marion of Iowa. He is 11-1 during that span.

Senior 157-pounder and captain Daniel Kolodzik also won both his matches this weekend. Kolodzik pinned Marauder wrestler Zac Wawrzyniak-Bush in the first period, a feat that further displayed Princeton’s utter domination during the Millersville match on Friday. Kolodzikwas looking forward toSaturday’s matchup against one of the nation's best in Cornell’s Kyle Dake, who has won the past two national championships at 157 pounds and is undefeated this season. But instead Cornell sent outbackup Craig Eifert, who Kolodzik easily defeated 8-3.

Senior Andy Lowy provided yet another bright spot for Princeton this weekend at 174 pounds. In order to beat Penn and be competitive in the EIWA this year, two of the team’s season goals, Princeton will need its upper weights to wrestle at the next level. Lowy showed this weekend that he has the potential to lead his fellow plus-size Tigers to the next level. Lowy earned an impressive 18-1 technical fall in his first match against Millersville’s Zach Pincus on Friday and then came back on Saturdayto beat Cornell’s Marshall Peppelman by a score of 12-6. It was Lowy’s seventh victory in his last 10 matches.

The Tigers will be studying hard during the next two weeks of finals, but don’t expect the books to keep them off the mats. Princeton will be training in full force to prepare for the heart ofits Ivy League matches, which take place after finals period. Princeton will travel next to wrestle Brown, Harvard and Boston University over Feb. 3-4.