For the second time in as many weeks, the 12th-ranked Cardinals missed a legitimate opportunity to knock off Northeast Regional rival and 11th-ranked Springfield College. The first meeting for Wesleyan happened last week at Johnson and Wales during the NEWA Duals Tournament, with the Cardinals becoming victories over RIC and Williams earlier in the day. Both teams were seeking the NEWA Duals title, but Springfield took down the Cardinals by a score of 19-18. Just six days later when the dual match schedule resumed, Wesleyan traveled to Springfield, Mass., hoping to settle the score. But after climbing their way to an early 17-10 lead, the Cardinals squandered a great opportunity to boost their ranking and lost 19-17.

“It’s disappointing to come up short a second time against Springfield,” admitted captain Nick Scotto ’13.

Searching for a notable victory versus a top opponent, and perhaps trying to avoid another loss against one, the Cardinals could not find a way to finish off the Pride. In fact, all seven of the Cardinals’ dual-match defeats this season have been at the hands of top-ranked opponents. One defeat each from #2 Elmhurst, #3 Cortland, #5 U.W. La Crosse, #7 Wilkes, #8 Delaware Valley, and two from #11 Springfield account for all of Wesleyan’s setbacks this season. The team record presently stands at 11-7 with four matches remaining.

Despite the disappointing result, there are still many positives on which to reflect and goals toward which to look.

“We’re much more concerned with winning the Northeast Regional Championship at the end of the year,” Scotto said. “The next month for us is focusing on doing everything within our power to bring home another championship on March 3 and send multiple guys to Nationals.”

Much of the reason Wesleyan can earnestly say it has a chance of winning the Northeast Regional Championship, in addition to having done so last year, is the presence of four battle-tested senior leaders. Four names—Scotto, captain Howard Tobochnik, Jefferson Ajayi, and Kyle Roosa—stand out when one reviews Wesleyan’s successful season. Tobochnik leads the squad with 26 victories, trailed closely by Ajayi and Roosa with 24 and Scotto not far off with 23. In fact, on Saturday at Springfield College these four seniors were responsible for the four wins Wesleyan mustered against the Pride. Ajayi took the 184-lb. class through a 3-1 decision and Roosa won the 174-lb. class with a major decision victory, 16-4. Tobochnik took his 149-lb. class with a similar 3-2 major decision, and Scotto continued his string of dominance by pinning his 141-lb. opponent and awarding Wesleyan with six points.

Three of the four seniors, Ajayi, Tobochnik, and Roosa, have all accumulated over 100 career victories during their four years. Fittingly, the senior who has probably stood out the most during the 2012-2013 campaign has been Scotto. After his win by fall against Springfield wrestler Victor Ekpenyong, Scotto currently sits in the top three in the nation amongst all divisions (Divisions I, II, and III; Junior College, and NAIA) for most pins on the season.

Thankfully for the Cardinals, these four seem capable of carrying the team very far on their own. Add in pleasant surprises like the emergence of three successful freshmen—James Hamilton at 125 lb., Chris Siracusa at 133 lb., and Josh Roometua at 197 lb.—and Wesleyan can legitimately claim it is in a perfect spot to reprise its role as Northeast Regional champs.

Competition shifts to Williams College on Saturday, Feb. 9 against SUNY Oneonta and Western New England University. The Cardinals look to improve their dual meet record to 13-7 before their final two bouts of the season.