WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The TCNJ wrestling team opened its dual-match season in style, reeling off nine consecutive bout victories and pulling away for a 31-3 triumph at Wilkes on Friday night.

Eight of the ten bouts wound up as decisions in a competitive lid-lifter, but it was the Lions who found an extra gear in all but one of those matchups. Reid Colella pinned his opponent at 174 and Domenic Difrancescantonio cruised to a major decision at 141 – both against regionally ranked competition – for TCNJ, which also saw Jake Giordano (133) defeat a grappler ranked near the top of the Southeast Region.

The Colonels grabbed an early lead with a decision at 125, but it was all Lions from there. Giordano opened his senior campaign with an 8-2 decision over regionally ranked Jack Bauer at 133 before Mike Conklin kicked off his collegiate career in thrilling fashion, pulling out a 9-7 victory in an overtime slugfest with Michael Richardson at 141.

Difrancescantonio rolled to a 13-2 major decision over Kyle Tino, ranked third in the Southeast Region, at 149, and Matt Sacco rallied from a 4-1 deficit to snatch an exhilarating 6-4 decision at 157 and give TCNJ a 13-3 at the midway point of the match.

Matt Surich used a pair of escapes and a takedown to provide enough breathing room for a 6-4 victory at 165, then Colella posted an impressive pin in just 2:39 against John Devito, who came in ranked third in the Southeast at 174.

Daniel Surich matched his brother with another close decision at 184, emerging from a 5-5 stalemate with a 9-5 triumph.

After spotting his 197-pound opponent an early takedown, Quinn Haddad ran off six straight points and managed to hold off Cameron Butka in a 12-8 shootout.

Thomas Marretta put a bow on the match with a 5-2 victory at heavyweight, capping a run of nine consecutive bout wins for the Lions.

TCNJ gets right back to it with a trip to Spooky Nook for the Journeyman Classic on Sunday.

TCNJ 31, WU 3
125 – A. Fashouer (W) dec. N. DeNora (T) 10-4
133 – J. Giordano (T) dec. J. Bauer (W) 8-2
141 – M. Conklin (T) dec. M. Richardson (W) 9-7 (OT, 8:32)
149 – D. DiFrancescantonio (T) major dec. K. Tino (W) 13-2
157 – M. Sacco (T) dec. C. Everdale (W) 6-4
165 – M. Surich (T) dec. J. Geiger (W) 6-4
174 – R. Colella (T) fall J. Devito (W) 2:39
184 – D. Surich (T) dec. C. Babcock (W) 9-5
197 – Q. Haddad (T) dec. C. Butka (W) 12-8
285 – T. Maretta (T) dec. S. McCurdy (W) 5-2
 
Exhibitions
157 – C. Dougherty (T) dec. A. Dillon (W) 8-1
157 – C. Dix (W) major dec. A. Amato (T) 11-0