Ewing, NJ... Stevens Institute of Technology survived a late rally by The College of New Jersey wrestling team securing the win in the final bout as the Ducks held on for a 26-16 win over the Lions on Tuesday.
 
The hosts trailed by 11 points with three weight classes remaining and finished with a flourish winning two of those bouts, but it wasn't enough as the Ducks held on for the win spoiling the head coaching debut for new Lion coach Joe Galante.
 
The match featured two of the top teams in the state as TCNJ (0-1) entered the match ranked 14^th in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III preseason poll, while Stevens (1-0) entered the dual meet ranked 17^th.
 
The Lions trailed 20-9 heading into the 184-pound weight class and Omar Akil (Long Branch, NJ/Long Branch) notched his first win in a TCNJ singlet at 184 as he brought the Lions back to within striking distance with an 8-2 win.  Senior Mike Denver (Bayville, NJ/Central Regional) then set up the deciding bout with a 16-4 major decision at 197. Denver entered the match ranked fourth in that weight class and his win close the margin to 20-16.
 
At heavyweight, Tyler Maher (Raleigh, NC/Garner Magnet) wrapped up the win with a pin as the clock expired.
 
The Lions got the year off to a promising start as PJ Schmidt (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) posted a 9-4 victory at 125 pounds. That win gave the hosts an early 3-0 lead.
 
That lead doubled at 133 as Dan Herr (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) fought off Mike Polizzi (Montville, NJ/Montville) by the score of 16-11. Herr entered the season ranked ninth nationally in his weight class.
 
The Ducks moved past the Lions at 141 as Connor Bass (Westhampton, NY/Westhampton Beach) won by flagrant misconduct and TCNJ also had a team point deducted allowing Stevens to forge into a 6-5 lead.
 
Stevens then used a pin at 149 to extend that margin to 12-5, but TCNJ comeback with a win at 157 as John Darling (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) rattled off a solid 12-1 victory.
 
Joey Favia (Brick, NJ/CBA), who is ranked fifth at 165 for the Ducks, got those points back as he collected a 13-4 major decision at 165. That put the difference back seven points with Stevens leading 16-9. That lead expanded at 174 as Ryan Dormann (Mickleton, NJ/Kingsway) recorded another major decision pushing the gap to 20-9.
 
The Lions return to the mat this weekend competing at both the Ursinus College Fall Brawl and the East Stroudsburg University Open on Saturday.

#17 Stevens Institute of Technology 26 #14 TCNJ 16
Weight-by-weight                                                                                                        
125: PJ Schmidt (TCNJ) dec. Anthony Geiger (S), 9-4                                                                  
133: #9 Dan Herr (TCNJ) dec. Michael Polizzi (S), 16-11                                               
141: Connor Bass (S) won by flagrant misconduct over John Palsi (TCNJ)                   
149: CJ Caserta (S) pinned Chris Lombardi (TCNJ) in 2:00                                           
157: John Darling (TCNJ) major dec. Jake Odell (S), 12-1                                               
165: #5 Joey Favia (S) major dec. KC Murphy (TCNJ), 13-4                                            
174: #5 Ryan Dormann (S) major dec. Justin DeAndrea (TCNJ), 18-4                                       
184: Omar Akil (TCNJ) dec. Alex Moreno (S), 8-2                                                          
197: #4 Mike Denver (TCNJ) major dec. Damian Murberg (S), 16-4                                                   
285: Tyler Maher (S) pinned Trevor Salvatore (TCNJ), 7:00                                           
TCNJ lost one team point in the 141 pound match