EWING, N.J. – The No. 10 TCNJ wrestling team won four of the first five bouts and held on late for a thrilling 26-15 victory over No. 16 Ithaca on Friday night.
Competing inside the Rec Center for the first time in more than two months, the Lions (8-5) notched their fifth win over a nationally ranked opponent this season when
Matt Coon pinned his heavyweight opponent in just over a minute.
The night got off to an inauspicious start as the Bombers' Tommah Gummow overturned an 11-7 deficit with a pin in the closing seconds of the 125-pound bout with
Matthew Griffin.
TCNJ, however, reeled off the next four matches to take control.
Garrett Totten, unbeaten and up to 9
th in the NWCA national rankings at 133, used a late takedown to score an 8-2 victory over 11
th-ranked Isaias Torres.
Sam Kotch then cruised to a 14-4 major against Matt Haycook at 141 to put the Lions ahead for good.
An early turning point came at 149, where 12
th-ranked
Mike Conklin and 13
th-ranked Wenchard Pierre-Louis were locked in a 1-1 stalemate late in the third. With 15 seconds remaining, Conklin managed a takedown to seal the bout.
J.J. Giordano secured a 4-1 victory over Brian Bienus at 157 to complete the four-bout streak.
After a sudden victory by Ithaca's Konrad Parker at 165, 8
th-ranked
Hunter Mays picked up a ranked win at 174 by pulling out an 11-8 decision against No. 11 Jackson Gray.
The Bombers won by medical forfeit at 184 to pull within 16-15, but
D.J. Henry – sporting a newly-minted national ranking – restored some separation with a 17-5 major over Ryan Galka at 197.
Still, the Lions needed to avoid a pin at heavyweight to secure the bout, and Coon did that and then some. He wasted little time putting a bow on the night, pinning Charlie Turner in just 78 seconds.
NOTES
- Totten is now a perfect 9-0 since joining the Lions, with four wins over nationally ranked foes
- Conklin is still unbeaten in duals (12-0) and ran his season record to a robust 23-4
- Coon registered his team-leading 10th pin of the season
UP NEXT
- The Lions host NYU on Saturday
#10 TCNJ 26, #16 Ithaca 15
125 – Tomah Gummow (IC) pinned
Matthew Griffin, 6:47
133 – #9
Garrett Totten (TCNJ) dec. #11 Isaias Torres, 8-2
141 – #13
Sam Kotch (TCNJ) maj. dec. Matt Haycook, 14-4
149 – #12
Mike Conklin (TCNJ) dec. #13 Wenchard Pierre-Louis, 4-2
157 –
J.J. Giordano (TCNJ) dec. Brian Bienus, 4-1
165 – Konrad Parker (IC) dec. #7
Nick Sacco, 4-1 (SV – OT)
174 – #8
Hunter Mays (TCNJ) dec. #11 Jackson Gray, 11-8
184 – Xavier Pommels (IC) def. #7
Alex Strashinsky by medical forfeit
197 – #13
D.J. Henry maj. dec. Ryan Galka, 17-5
285 –
Matt Coon (TCNJ) pinned Charlie Turner, 1:18
