EWING, N.J. – The No. 4 TCNJ wrestling team celebrated Senior Night with a resounding victory over an in-state rival.
 
Sam Kotch and Dave Giulian both picked up wins on the night they were honored alongside Nick Acque, helping to lead the Lions to a 34-9 victory inside the Rec Center.
 
After Aidan Carmody won by forfeit at 125, the Lions kicked off a parade of tech falls. No. 3 Garrett Totten made short work of Daniel Gonzalez at 133, using 10 near-fall points to run away with a 17-2 victory in just 2:18.
 
No. 7 Vinnie Santaniello needed a bit longer but was no less dominant, shutting out regionally ranked Danny Haws, 15-0. Santaniello picked up four near-fall points just before the first-period buzzer, then added a reversal and four more near-fall markers in the second, ultimately clinching it with a two-point near fall six seconds before the end of the stanza.
 
Kotch made it three in a row, racking up three first-period takedowns and three more in the second en route to a 20-5 defeat of Mason Johnson at 149.
 
Jackson Bush won an 11-3 major decision over Colin Neal on riding time at 157 to stretch the TCNJ lead to 25-0.
 
Centenary (8-10) picked up a pair of decisions at 165 and 174, but Giulian restored order with a dominant 8-0 major decision over Alex Mercado, scoring five points in the second period after a scoreless first and adding one takedown in the third to secure bonus points.
 
No. 7 D.J. Henry rolled past Angelo Piazza at 197, winning the first period by a 9-2 count before starting the second with a reversal and a four-point near fall. He started the third period in neutral and quickly took Piazza to the mat to polish off an 18-2 victory.
 
Clifford Dirkes dropped a hard-fought 3-2 decision at heavyweight to close the dual.
 
NOTES

• These in-state programs have matched up in a dual every year since 2007; TCNJ has now won seven in a row to push its series lead to 16-3
• The Lions' current 7-match winning streak is the longest in series history
• Giulian notched his first dual win of the season
• Henry registered his team-leading eighth tech fall, with Santaniello right behind at seven

UP NEXT

• The Lions head to the Big Apple to take on No. 18 NYU on Saturday night

#4 TCNJ 34, Centenary 9
125 – Aidan Carmody (TCNJ) won by forfeit
133 – #3 Garrett Totten (TCNJ) tech fall Daniel Gonzalez, 17-2 (2:18)
141 – #7 Vinnie Santaniello (TCNJ) tech fall Danny Haws, 15-0 (4:54)
149 – Sam Kotch (TCNJ) tech fall Mason Johnson, 20-5 (4:18)
157 – Jackson Bush (TCNJ) maj. dec. Colin Neal, 11-3
165 – Nic Kemmerer (C) dec. Nick Acque, 11-6
174 – Reece Smith (C) dec. Konnor Tubin, 4-2
184 – Dave Giulian (TCNJ) maj. dec. Alex Mercado, 8-0
197 – #7 D.J. Henry (TCNJ) tech fall Angelo Piazza, 18-2 (5:27)
285 – Jonathan Martinez (C) dec. Clifford Dirkes, 3-2
 
Extra Countable Matches
141 – Andrew Mucciolo (TCNJ) maj. dec. Thomas Drea, 14-4
197 – Henry Saxon (TCNJ) dec. Alex Laoudis, 6-5