Williamsport, PA...The College of New Jersey wrestling team had a big opening day at the 23rd Annual Budd Whitehill Duals as the Lions posted three straight wins on Friday to advance to the semifinals.

The Lions opened with a 29-15 victory over John Carroll University and then held off Oswego State 24-18. The win over Oswego State put the Lions into the quarterfinals where they got past 28th-ranked Wabash College, 24-13.

Against John Carroll, the 15th-ranked Lions led 8-6 before reeling off wins in five straight weight classes to secure the win.

In the dual meet against Oswego State, the Lions trailed the Lakers twice in the early going before key wins by fall from John Darling (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) at 149 and Brian Broderick (Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional) at 184, while Mike Denver (Bayville, NJ/Central Regional) picked up a technical fall win at 197 securing TCNJ's sixth straight victory.

That streak was extended to seven straight as TCNJ never trailed winning the first two bouts and never looking back. Freshman Steve Godine (Whippany, NJ/Whippany Park) came away with a narrow 1-0 win at 125 to get things going and sophomore Dan Herr (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) turned in a dominating performance at 133 with a 15-0 technical fall.

Wabash countered with back-to-back wins cutting the team score to 8-7, but the Lions once again got solid efforts from their middleweights as Kyle Packer (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) won at 157, Justin Bonitatis (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) at 165, Broderick at 174, and Denver at 184 cementing the victory.

Next up for the Lions is 16th-ranked SUNY Cortland in the semifinals set for 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. The Red Dragons moved into the semis with a 21-19 triumph of the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.