WILLIAMSPORT, PA – The No. 17 Wilkes University wrestling team finished day one of the Mideast Regional in seventh place with two Colonels advancing to the semifinal round Sunday.

Full Results
 
Wilkes earned 32.5 total team points over day one of the event with Nicholas Racanelli (West Creek, NJ/Southern Regional) and Kyle Diesel (Westtown, NY/Minisink Valley) advancing to the semifinal round of the tournament in their respective weight class.
 
Racanelli, seeded second at 157-pounds, posted a second round fall over Muskingum's Jonathan Muntz in 1:57. He then followed with a 13-5 major decision over Brockport State's Josh Brabon in the quarterfinals to move into the semifinal round Sunday. Racanelli will face Ian Evans of Scranton in tomorrow's semifinal bout.
 
Diesel, also seeded second at 184-pounds, moved into the semifinal round with a technical fall in the second round over Brandon Rudy of host Lycoming College. He then advance to the semis with a 3-1 decision over Marco Crivelli of Thiel. Diesel awaits a semifinal match against Dillen Decker of Heidelberg tomorrow.
 
At 125-pounds, Michael Fleck (Easton, PA/Wilson Area) began the day with a technical fall, his NCAA Division III leading 13^th of the season, before falling in the quarterfinals by fall. Fleck wrestled back winning his first consolation match with a fall to move along in the consolation bracket on Sunday.
 
At 149-pounds, Josh Evans (Palmerton, PA/Palmerton) lost his first match before wrestling back in the consolation side with a technical fall and 6-4 sudden victory to stay alive in the bracket.
 
Nicholas Dawson (Montoursville, PA/Montoursville), wrestling at 197-pounds, rounded out the Colonels still alive in the tournament. After a pin in the first round in 3:49, Dawson fell 10-5 in the quarterfinals before earning a 4-0 decision in the consolation bracket to move into a bout on Sunday.
 
Second day's action will begin with Semifinals Consolation quarterfinals at 10 a.m.