"We were really down and we had to wrestle CCSU right after," Kierstead said. "We were just out of that match."

No Redemption

The Crimson hoped it could redeem itself at Columbia the next day. But Harvard couldn't peel off that down mood, and Columbia took advantage of it.

"It looked like the domino effect," Kierstead said. "Nick Cianciola got major decisioned, which doesn't happen much, and I think we got the feeling we were flat again."

But Kierstead improved on his performance from last match, not satisfied with a tie.

"I felt like I was moving better," Kierstead said. "I rode him pretty well and turned him in the second period. The back points are good. They take some of the pressure off of you."

At least this match was close. The Crimson stayed neck-and-neck with Columbia all match and was clinging to a 17-16 lead right before the heavyweight match. Dwight Cooper fell under the weight of the pressure, and the Crimson fell, 19-17.

"It was pretty much a bummer," Cianciola said. "We really didn't expect to lose at all, and halfway through the match it looked like we were in trouble. Columbia was all pumped up and they basically kicked our asses with their mental attitude. We just sat around like a bunch of lazy bums."

The Crimson hopes to make a brand new start of it at Yale Saturday.