ROCHESTER, N.Y.- The TCNJ wrestling team was off to a hot start at day one of the Mideast Regions on Friday. The No. 13 ranked Lions sent five wrestlers to the semifinals and two to the consolation quarters, boasting a total of 92 team points.
 
Matthew Griffin (125), Mike Conklin (149), Ryan Datz (157), Nick Sacco (165) and Peter Wersinger (285) all went undefeated on the day to advance to Saturday's semifinal matchups.
 
The No. 2 ranked Sacco entered Friday as the top seed and showed why in his round of 16 and quarterfinal matches, winning by fall and major decision. He matches up with Ursinus' Shawn Marchesano on Saturday as he attempts to win his second consecutive individual Region title.
 
No. 15 ranked Wersinger wrestled three matches on day one and was impressive in all of them, pinning his first two opponents and winning the quarterfinals by tech. fall. Wersinger is set for a semifinal bout on Saturday against Ursinus' Jake Ahmad.
 
Griffin came into the regional tournament as the top seed and proved it further on Friday, as he received a first-round bye and then proceeded to pin his next two opponents. He faces off against Ethan Liptzin of Elizabethtown in the semifinal match.
 
Conklin did not have a bye in the first round yet was still dominant in his three wins on day one. He won his first two matches by tech. fall and his third with a 7-2 decision on his way to Saturday's semifinal against McDaniel's Thomas Monn.
 
Freshman Ryan Datz blew past his two opponents in the round of 16 and quarterfinals with a pin and a tech. fall after a first-round bye. He awaits a semifinal bout with Wenchard Pierre-Louis of Ithaca College.
 
Sam Kotch (141), James Romaine (174) and Reid Colella (184) are all still alive in the tournament as they have a chance to wrestle their way up to third place through the consolation brackets.
 
TCNJ wrestling has a 10-point cushion on the competition and looks to finish Saturday the same way they finished Friday as action is set to start at 11 AM.