CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Eighth-ranked TCNJ went 1-2 on the first day of action at the NWCA Multi-Division National Duals on Friday, opening with an impressive win over No. 12 Coe before conceding another narrow decision to No. 2 Wisconsin-La Crosse in the quarterfinals. The Lions then dropped a top-10 showdown with No. 10 North Central in their nightcap at the loaded event hosted at the UNI Dome.
 
Navy transfer Garrett Totten enjoyed a remarkable debut in blue and gold, going 3-0 with a major decision and two technical falls and knocking off two nationally ranked opponents in his first action since joining the team over break.
 
Mike Conklin was also a perfect 3-0 on the day at 149, while Hunter Mays picked off two nationally ranked foes at 174.
 
#8 TCNJ 25, #12 Coe 14
The Lions started out against No. 12 Coe, a 29-22 winner over Concordia-Moorhead in the preliminary round.
 
Totten wasted no time making his mark at 133. He immediately took No. 12 Bryce Parke to the mat with three near-fall points, racking up a 9-2 lead after the first period. He tacked on a fourth takedown in the second frame and another late in the third to secure a 16-8 major decision. 
 
Sam Kotch trailed 3-0 with the second period waning at 141, but scored a takedown to knot the bout with Kael Kurtz, but the Kohawk managed an escape before the horn and started the third period on bottom, escaping for a 5-3 lead. Kotch answered with a takedown to grab a 6-5 lead, the ensuing escape by Kurtz leveling the bout at 6-6 with about a minute to go. Kotch then won it with a takedown in the final 20 seconds, his 9-6 decision giving the Lions a 7-5 match lead.
 
Conklin, ranked 14^th at 149, started the second on bottom and took a 1-0 lead after a pair of stall warnings on Dresden Grimm, and his eventual escape made it 2-0 heading into the third. Armed with over a minute of riding time, Grimm needed a quick escape but was unable to get it as Conklin rode out the entire frame for a critical 2-0 decision.
 
After Coe won by decision at 157 to get within 10-8, Nick Sacco trailed 3-1 in the second but surged in front with an escape and a takedown heading into the third. The reigning national champ snuffed out any chance of a rally by riding out the entire third for a 7-3 victory.
 
Mays and Alex Strashsinky put the match away with thoroughly impressive wins in nationally ranked showdowns at 174 and 184, respectively. Mays, ranked 9^th in the country, cruised past 4^th-ranked LJ Richardson, 12-4, in a matchup of top-10 ranked grapplers, while No. 10 Strashinsky took a quick 6-0 lead on the way to a 7-3 decision over No. 11 Jared Voss.
 
D.J. Henry also took down a nationally ranked opponent at 197, dealing a hefty 19-3 technical fall to No. 11 Matt Arsenault to put a big exclamation point on the victory. The Lions forfeited at heavyweight.
 
#2 UW-Lacrosse 20, #8 TCNJ 14
The rematch of November's tight dual, won 20-15 by the Eagles, went much like the first one. TCNJ jumped out to a nice lead as Totten posted a tech fall at 133, Kotch edged Talan Schutte by a score of 9-5 at 141, and Conklin picked up a 4-1 win over Josh Cherba at 149 to put the Lions in front, 11-3.
 
J.J. Giordano gave Tyler Goebel, ranked No. 2 at 165, a battle at 157 before falling 9-5, and Sacco succumbed to a 7-3 loss to Robert Flege, but Mays toughed out a 3-2 win over 7^th-ranked Eddie Simes at 174 to give TCNJ a 14-9 advantage.
 
La Crosse, however, won the last three bouts, the first a 4-1 sudden victory by No. 7 Marcus Orlandoni over Strashinsky at 184. Ben Kawczynski put the Eagles ahead, 15-14, with a hard-fought 2-0 decision against Henry, and No. 1 ranked Michael Douglas sealed it with a tech fall against Matt Coon at heavyweight.
 
#10 North Central 32, #8 TCNJ 13
The Lions' last match of the night was nip-and-tuck, but many of the individual bouts were not close. The teams traded tech falls over the first four weight classes, with Totten routing No. 11 Julian Valtierrez by an 18-2 count at 133 and Conklin dispatching Kenny Sewicki, 17-1, to counter lopsided Cardinal victories at 125 and 141.
 
The Cardinals nosed back in front with an 8-1 decision at 157, but Sacco responded with a 5-0 win over 12^th-ranked Alex Villar at 165 to level the match at 13 team points apiece.
 
That brought up Mays against No. 8 Javen Estrada in another top-10 showdown, and Mays appeared more than up to the task in jumping out to a 7-2 lead and taking it into the third period. Estrada, however, managed to turn the tables and pin Mays with just over a minute remaining.
 
NCC added a major at 184 and a decision at 197 to seal it before closing the bout with a pin at heavyweight.

NOTES

• TCNJ now has 799 all-time dual wins
• The Lions have won at least one match at the NWCA National Duals in three straight years
• Conklin is a perfect 9-0 in dual matches and is 20-4 on the year; he ran his career win total to 90 with three more on Friday

UP NEXT

• TCNJ will wrestle for 9^th place on Saturday, starting at 10 a.m. against No. 16 Wisconsin-Whitewater