By Jim Fenton

WORCESTER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University was handed a pair of defeats in its first competition in four weeks on Saturday afternoon.

The Bears lost the opener of a tri-meet to host Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 45-7, then dropped a 46-6 decision to Wesleyan University.

Freshman Mathew Piper (Townsend, Mass.) went 2-0 for BSU, giving him four wins this season.

BSU had been idle since taking part in the Scott Viera Open in Rhode Island on Dec. 14.

In the opener, WPI had eight wins by fall or technical fall with five pins.

The Bears posted a pair of wins by junior Malcolm Chrispin (Hyde Park, Mass.) and Piper.

Chrispin, at 141 pounds, won a major decision, 14-3, over sophomore Mason Medina (Orlando, Fla.).

Piper, at 285 pounds, scored a 4-2 victory over junior Trevor Bowen (Frenchtown, N.J.).

Wesleyan, which is No. 4 in the New England Wrestling Association, had seven of its nine wins come by fall or technical fall with four pins.

Piper scored a victory by fall at 3:49 over junior Will Orso (York, Maine) for BSU's lone win over the Cardinals.

The Bears will wrestle again on Saturday at 1 p.m. when they host Williams College.

It will be BSU's first home match since losing to Western New England University on Nov. 16.