KING'S POINT, N.Y. (January 13, 2015) - The No. 20 Stevens Institute of Technology wrestling team dropped its 2015 Centennial Conference opener Tuesday night, falling 26-20 at the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

The Ducks are now 0-1 in the conference and 7-5 overall. USMMA improves to 1-0 in the Centennial Conference and 2-7 overall.

Stevens picked up wins in four of the 10 bouts wrestled - including four of the final six - but the Ducks were unable to overcome an early 17-0 deficit after Merchant Marine picked up a decision, two major decisions and a win by fall in the first four bouts.

Senior Mike Polizzi moved to 14-2 on the season and broke the hosts momentum at 157 pounds, winning his bout by fall over Michael Maybe early in the second period to trim the Mariners lead to 11 (17-6). Sophomore Colin Navickas followed with a 21-5 technical fall at 165 to get the Ducks back in the dual at 17-11, but a win at 174 for USMMA pushed the lead back to nine with three bouts left. 

Stevens freshman Phil Woods picked up a hard-fought 8-7 decision for Stevens at 184 pounds, but six points for Merchant Marine at 197 sealed the win. Senior heavyweight Chris Florek ended the match with a win by forfeit for the final tally of 26-20.

The Ducks will head to the MatMan Invitational in Cedar Grove, Iowa on January 17.

United States Merchant Marine Academy 26, No. 20 Stevens Institute of Technology 20

• 125 - Michael Mui (Merchant Marine) over Rob Murray (Stevens Tech.) (Fall 6:53) - 6-0
• 133 - Tom Healy (Merchant Marine) over Anthony Geiger (Stevens Tech.) (MD 17-9) - 10-0
• 141 - Isaac Hammonds (Merchant Marine) over Benjamin Gilman (Stevens Tech.) (MD 15-5) - 14-0
• 149 - Nathan Twito (Merchant Marine) over Zach Wilhelm (Stevens Tech.) (Dec 9-8) - 17-0
• 157 - Mike Polizzi (Stevens Tech.) over Michael Maye (Merchant Marine) (Fall 3:35) - 17-6
• 165 - Colin Navickas (Stevens Tech.) over Geoffrey Bilder (Merchant Marine) (TF 21-5 0:00) - 17-11
• 174 - Jake Sherman (Merchant Marine) over Kalen Gans (Stevens Tech.) (Dec 4-3) - 20-11
• 184 - Phil Woods (Stevens Tech.) over Patrick Rooney (Merchant Marine) (Dec 8-7) - 20-14
• 197 - Ricky Fisher (Merchant Marine) over Ryan Jachim (Stevens Tech.) - (Fall 5:56)
• 285 - Chris Florek (Stevens Tech.) wins via forfeit.