Providence, RI --- Six different WPI wrestlers went 2-0 on the day as the Engineers won 14 of 20 total bouts en route to a sweep of Plymouth State and Rhode Island College in their 2024-25 dual meet debut on Saturday afternoon.  The Crimson and Gray rolled to a 48-8 triumph against the Panthers to kick off their day before an exciting 19-18 barnburner over the host Anchorman in the night cap.
 
The tight win against RIC started with matching 8-4 decisions by Mason Medina (Orlando, FL) and Mason Basara (Bethlehem, PA) at 141 and 149 pounds respectively.  Joey Baisley (Charlotte, NC) made it three consecutive wins by decision when he was victorious 13-7 at 157. 
 
The two teams alternated victories the rest of the way.  After RIC got onto the board with a tech fall at 165 pounds, Joseph Tully (Carver, MA) accounted for WPI's only bonus point win of the match when he delivered an important 12-3 major decision at 174.  Following an Anchorman pin at 184, 197-pounder Nicolas LeSieur (Walnut Creek, CA) posted a 12-7 triumph to put the Engineers ahead 16-11. 
 
The hosts closed to within a point with a 13-5 major decision at heavyweight with the 125 and 133 pounds bouts remaining.  WPI's Tanner Thatcher (Blairstown, NJ) gave WPI much needed breathing room when he scored a takedown in SV1 to claim a dramatic 8-5 win at 125.  This forced the Anchorman to win by major decision to forge a tie, which the Engineers would have won by criteria, or a tech fall or pin to win the contest outright but RIC's Kwesi Amoa (Central Islip, NY) won by decision 7-4 and the Boynton Hillers took home team victory 19-18.
 
WPI had a much easier go of it in their opener with Plymouth State.  The six Engineer winners versus RIC all notched falls as Medina (141 - 2:56), Baisley (157 pounds - 1:04), Tully (174 - 1:10) and LeSieur (197 - 0:48) collected their pins in the first period and Thatcher (125 - 3:54) in the second stanza and Basara (149 - 5:30) in the third frame.   133-pounder Charlie Pavis (Bethlehem, PA) and heavyweight Trevor Bowen (Frenchtown, NJ) joined the pin parade with falls at 1:10 and 58 seconds respectively.
 
WPI (2-0) looks ahead to its home opener next Saturday.  The Engineers will square off with Norwich and Division II AIC in a quad match that also include Roger Williams.  Action begins at noon in the Sports & Recreation Center.
 
WPI 19, Rhode Island College 18
 
WPI 48, Plymouth State 8