WORCESTER -- Tanner Thatcher (Blairstown, NJ) and Chris Cook (Mount Kisco, NY), got WPI off to a quick start and Ryan Powers (Lebanon, CT) notched a mid-match fall for WPI but it was not enough as the Engineers came up on the short end of a 35-12 decision to visiting Southern Maine in a New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) contest on Sunday afternoon inside the Sports & Recreation Center. 

WPI is now 2-11 on the season, while the Huskies, which blanked Hunter (0-7) 55-0 in the other match of the day, improve to 7-3 overall. 

Thatcher gave WPI a 3-0 advantage on the day, posting a 9-3 decision at 125 pounds. Ethan Ford's (North Andover, MA) 12-0 shutout at 133 gave the Huskies a 4-3 lead before Cook won a high-scoring affair at 141 by an 18-11 score. 

Colby Frost (Steep Falls, ME) and Jeremy Sendrowski (Scarborough, ME) put USM ahead for good with back-to-back second period pins at 149 and 157 pounds.  Powers gave the Crimson and Gray six points of his own when he registered a pin at 3:42 of his 165-pound bout. 

The visitors captured the final four matches of the day.  David Kurker (West Roxbury, MA) started the Huskies run with a 8-4 win at 174 pounds, Aidan Whitis (Gorham, ME) and Anthony Mears (Lawrence, MA) recorded consecutive pins at 184 and 197 pounds and Jake Peavey (South China, ME) tallied a 13-2 major decision at heavyweight. 

In the opener, Southern Maine used four first period pins and four forfeits to jump out to a 48-0 advantage.  Falls were recorded by Antoine Grace (Queensboro, NY) at 125 pounds, Kevin Moore (Owls Head, ME) at 149, Tyler Haynes (Metuchen, NJ) at 157 and Kurker at 165.  Whitis grinded out a 4-3 victory at 197 and Peavey closed it out by pitching a 8-0 shutout at 285. 

WPI is back on the mat on Saturday in Springfield to face Division II AIC.  The matched is now scheduled for a 6pm start.  Also Saturday, Southern Maine is at Trinity for a quad with Plymouth State and Western New England while Hunter returns to action on Friday, February 11th at New Jersey City.