YORK, PA.- The TCNJ Wrestling team is atop the leaderboard after day one of the New Standard Invitational at York College. Seven Lions have earned their way to the Semifinal bout of their respective weight classes. With 84.5 team points, the Blue & Gold are five and a half points ahead of Johnson & Wales University.

Larry Melchionda (141), Sam Kotch (141), Mayson Harms (149), Alex Strashinsky (157), Nick Sacco (165), James Romaine (174) and Peter Wersinger (285) are all one win away from the championship bout.

Melchionda had a stellar outing on Friday; he won his first match 18-2 by tech. fall, the next 20-11 by major decision and the third in a near-major, winning 12-5. He takes on Mark Samuel of Roanoake in the Semifinal match tomorrow.

The sophomore Kotch had a commanding 19-4 win in the opening round followed by a 4-2 decision win over Brandon Ribeiro of Ithaca. After a 23-9 major decision win in the quarter finals, he advances to the Semifinal match against Washington & Lee's Skyler Hickman with the chance to face off against Melchionda in the finals.

After a first round bye, Harms pinned York's Mohammed Gueddi just a minute and 45 seconds in the first period. After a 23-5 tech. fall in the round of 16, he earned a major decision win over Eddie Pinc of the Merchant Marine Academy. Harms will take on Pasquale Vizzioni of Stevens in the Semifinal tomorrow.

Following a pin in the third period of the opening round, Strashinsky went on to win his next two matches by scores of 14-8 and 12-5 against Roper Tryon of Roanoake and Johnson & Wales' Thomas Diresta consecutively. He's slotted for the Semifinal matchup tomorrow against Zach Ortega of Apprentice.

The No. 2 Wrestler in DIII at 165 pounds in Sacco cruised through the first three rounds at the New Standard Invite, winning his first two matches by tech fall and the third by major decision. With a win against Jacob Cherry of Roanoake tomorrow, he'll advance to the tournament finals.

At 174 pounds, James Romaine took down Sean Cowan of Ursinus and Stefan Major of Stevens by decision after a first round bye to advance to the Semifinal match. He'll face off against Jackson Gray tomorrow.

Wersinger, currently the sixth best at 285 pounds in DIII won each of his three matches on Friday to advance to the Semi's. He won his first two matches by fall in a total time of 2:24 second before an 8-2 decision win against John Sedovy of Washington & Lee. The Semifinal match will feature Wersinger and Reid Garrison of the Merchant Marine Academy.

Matt Griffin (125), Kyle Nase (133), Jason Giordano (141), Mike Conklin (149), Ryan Datz (157), Austin Raynor (184) and Christ Stavrou (197) each have a chance at third-place as they are in the consolation Semifinals tomorrow.

Tournament action will resume Saturday at 9:00 AM.