Williamsport, PA… The College of New Jersey wrestling team posted two wins in three matches as the Lions finished the opening day of the 2015 Budd Whitehill National Duals on Friday.
 
TCNJ (6-4) won their first two matches competing in Group B, starting with a 41-9 victory over Trine University. The 30^th-ranked Lions then got past Oswego State 35-3, before dropping a close 26-23 decision to Thiel College.
 
The tournament has a new format this year with four groups of four competing in a round robin on Friday, with the winners of the four groups being reseeded into a championship bracket on Saturday and competing in a four-team tournament for the championship.
 
On Saturday, TCNJ will be competing with the three other second-place finishers as they vie for fifth through eighth place. The first match in that round will be at 10:30 a.m. against SUNY Cortland.
 
The Lions won the opening eight weight classes against Trine as they recorded three wins by fall during that stretch. Winning by pin were junior Dylan Thorsen (Belvidere, NJ/Belvidere) at 149, junior Antonio Mancella (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) at 157 and senior Zach Zotollo (Paramus, NJ/Paramus) at 174.
 
TCNJ again started strong against the Lakers reeling off seven consecutive wins to start the match and won nine of the 10 weight classes. Zotollo notched his second pin of the day versus Oswego State and classmate Nathaniel Leer (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) pinned his opponent at 197. 
 
The final match was back-and forth in the late weight classes as Thiel jumped in front 21-17 with a win at 184 pounds. Leer then won his second match by pin to catapult the Lions right back into the lead. Leer's victory at 197 gave them a 23-21 advantage.
 
The Tomcats then claimed the final bout of the match to secure the win and to win Group B 26-23, after having a team point deducted.
 
Zotollo and Budzek each had three wins on the day, while Thorsen and Leer were both 2-0.
 
#30 The College of New Jersey 41, Trine University 9
125 Kevin Corrigan (TCNJ) dec.  David Moore (Trine University), 8-1 (TCNJ, 3-0)
133 James Goldschmidt (TCNJ) by forfeit (TCNJ, 9-0)
141 Ryan Budzek (TCNJ) major dec.  Jeffry Helm (Trine University), 9-0 (TCNJ, 13-0)
149 Dylan Thorsen (TCNJ) pinned Cody Konieczki (Trine University) in 4:35 (TCNJ 19-0)
157 Antonio Mancella (TCNJ) pinned Adam Boles (Trine University) in 2:08 (TCNJ, 25-0)
165 Kellen Whitney (TCNJ) major dec. JayCee Jensen (Trine University), 14-4 (TCNJ, 29-0)
174 Zach Zotollo (TCNJ) pinned Kerry Raab (Trine University) in 1:07 (TCNJ, 35-0)
184 Brandon Simon (TCNJ) by forfeit (TCNJ, 41-0)
197 Michael Conner (Trine University) dec. Sigala Fosam (TCNJ), 3-2 (TCNJ, 41-3)
285 Lazarus Conley (Trine University) by forfeit (TCNJ, 41-9)
 
#30 The College of New Jersey 35, Oswego State 3
125 Kevin Corrigan (TCNJ) by tech. fall Jacob Yankloski (SUNY-Oswego), 18-2 (TCNJ, 5-0)
133 Devon LaFranco (TCNJ) dec. Kevin Ramkishun (SUNY-Oswego), 7-2 (TCNJ, 8-0)
141 Ryan Budzek (TCNJ) dec. Quamaine Thomas (SUNY-Oswego), 3-1 (TCNJ, 11-0)
149 Steve Schneider (TCNJ) dec. Mark Milisci (SUNY-Oswego), 10-3 (TCNJ, 14-0)
157 Antonio Mancella (TCNJ) dec. Tyler Silverthorn (SUNY-Oswego), 14-11 (TCNJ, 17-0)
165 Joe Paton (TCNJ) dec. Tim Scalisi (SUNY-Oswego), 6-2 (TCNJ, 20-0)
174 Zach Zotollo (TCNJ) pinned Sean Maloney (SUNY-Oswego), 3:57 (TCNJ, 26-0)
184 Scott Bova (SUNY-Oswego) dec. Dan Wojtaszek (TCNJ), 6-0 (TCNJ, 26-3)
197 Nathaniel Leer (TCNJ) pinned Andrew Cole (SUNY-Oswego), 3:56 (TCNJ, 32-3)
285 Sigala Fosam (TCNJ) dec. Joe Gorsuch (SUNY-Oswego), 3-2 (TCNJ, 35-3)
 
Thiel College 26, #30 The College of New Jersey 23
125 Jimmy Gill (TCNJ) by forfeit (TCNJ, 6-0)
133 Lance Waters (Thiel) pinned Kevin Corrigan (TCNJ), 4:51 (Tied 6-6)
141 Ryan Budzek (TCNJ) major dec. Nick Hart (Thiel), 9-0 (TCNJ, 10-6)
149 Dylan Thorsen (TCNJ) dec. Nick Sutton (Thiel), 3-2 (TCNJ 13-6)
157 Sean Byham (Thiel) dec. Antonio Mancella (TCNJ), (TCNJ 13-9)
165 Brandan Collins (Thiel) pinned Kellen Whitney (TCNJ), 6:23 (Thiel 15-13)
174 Zach Zotollo (TCNJ) major dec. Marco Crivelli (Thiel), 15-4 (TCNJ 17-15)
184 Jerrold Roosa (Thiel) pinned Brandon Simon (TCNJ), 6:54 (Thiel 21-17)
197 Nathaniel Leer (TCNJ) pinned Jacob Trillow (Thiel), 4:26 (TCNJ 23-21)
285 Blake Heim (Thiel) pinned Sigala Fosam (TCNJ), 4:01 (Thiel 26-23)
Thiel had one team point deducted