Wilkes-Barre, PA – The 24th ranked The College of New Jersey wrestling team opened up a 22-0 lead, handing host King's College a 31-16 defeat in the Monarchs home dual meet debut Wednesday night in Scandlon Gymnasium.
 
With the win, TCNJ improved to 2-1 on the year while the Monarchs slipped to 1-3.      
 
In the first match at 125-pounds, P.J. Schmidt (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) of TCNJ scored a takedown midway through the first period for a 2-0 lead. In the second period, Schmidt scored a reversal for a 4-0 advantage before Perez escaped to cut the lead to 4-1. Schmidt countered with a takedown and fall at 4:38. At 133, the Lions stretched the lead to 12-0 when 2011 Metro Conference runner-up Dan Herr (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) pinned Travis Boardman in 0:28.
 
At 141, King's Mike LaPorta scored an early takedown and near fall points to build a 5-0 lead over Brian Bollette (Newton, NJ/Kittatinny). Bollette answered with an escape and takedown to close to within 5-3 heading into the second period. After Bollette scored another escape, the Lion senior added a takedown to build a 6-5 lead. Bollette dominated the third period to post a 17-9 major decision, giving TCNJ a 16-0 lead. At 149, the Lions Chris Lombardi (Merrick, NY/John F. Kennedy) received a forfeit to push the score to 22-0.
 
In the 157-pound class, King's posted a 5-1 overtime decision to cut the team score to 22-3.
 
At 165, Zach Zotollo (Paramus, NJ/Paramus) gave TCNJ a 28-3 lead by pinning Zach Grey in 2:04. In the 174-pound class, King's then got a pin cutting the Lion lead to 28-9.
 
At 184, two-time all-American Mike Denver (Bayville, NJ/Central Regional) of TCNJ and King's Frank Marinucci battled to a 0-0 tie after one period. Denver escaped to start the second period and followed with a takedown for a 3-0 lead. Denver used two more takedowns in the third period to earn a 7-2 decision, upping the Lion lead to 31-9.
 
At 197, King's all-American Mike Reilly used four takedowns to secure a 10-1 major decision, while in the final match the Monarchs closed things out with another win making the final 31-16.
 
 
TCNJ 31 – King's 16
125:        P.J. Schmidt (NJ) pinned Aaron Perez (K), 4:38
133:        Dan Herr (NJ) pinned Travis Boardman (K), 0:28
141:        Brian Bollette (NJ) major dec. Mike LaPorta (K), 17-9
149:        Chris Lombardi (NJ won by forfeit
157:        Jordan Jiunta (K) dec. John Darling (NJ), 5-1 OT
165:        Zach Zotollo (NJ) pinned Zach Grey (K), 2:04
174:        Shane Stark (K) pinned Dylan Kelly (NJ), 2:01
184:        Mike Denver (NJ) dec. Frank Marinucci (K), 7-2
197:        Mike Reilly major dec. Dan Brill (NJ), 10-1
285:        Peter Dwyer (K) dec. Trevor Salvatore (NJ), 4-1