WILKES-BARRE – After falling in the opening bout, visiting The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) recorded wins in nine straight bouts on way to a 31-3 victory over host Wilkes University Friday night at the Marts Center.
 
Wilkes dropped to 0-1 in dual matches following the home defeat while TCNJ improved to 1-0 on the young season.
 
In the opening bout of the match at 125-pounds, Wilkes' Austin Fashouer (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) stormed back after trailing 4-1 after one period with two consecutive takedowns to take control 5-4 at the end of the second. An escape to start the third period followed by another takedown pushed Fashouer to an 8-4 advantage with just over one minute left in the bout.  A stalling point followed by the riding time gave Fashouer a 10-4 decision and Wilkes a 3-0 lead in the match.
 
TCNJ took the 133-pound bout by decision as Jake Giordano bested Jack Bauer (Ringoes, NJ/Hunterdon Central) 8-2 tying the match at 3-3 through two.
 
At 141-pounds, Michael Richardson (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) held a slim 4-3 lead after two periods. TCNJ picked up a takedown and a penalty point before Richardson answered with a takedown and another penalty point to tie the match at 7 heading into overtime. TCNJ then scored a takedown midway through the sudden victory frame to take a 6-3 lead in the match.
 
The Lions extended its lead to 10-3 in the match following a 13-2 major decision at 149-pounds as Dom DiFrancescantonio bested Kyle Tino (Phillipsburg, NJ/Phillipsburg).
 
At 157-pounds Charles Everdale (Freeland, PA/Hazleton Area) made two takedowns in the first period to lead 4-2 heading into the final frame. From there, TCNJ's Matt Sacco used an escape and a takedown to reverse the advantage leading 5-4 with under a minute left in the bout. Sacco added riding time for the 6-4 decision win as the Lions continued to lead 13-3 in the match at the half way point.
 
At 165-pounds James Geiger (Dallas, PA/Dallas) and Matt Surich went tied 3-3 through the first period before Surich took the lead with an escape and takedown in the second frame. Geiger answered with an escape to start the third period to cut the lead to 6-4, but was unable to manage the tying takedown as TCNJ continued to extend its lead in the match at 16-3.
 
A TCNJ fall at 174-pounds followed by a 9-5 decision at 184-pounds gave the visitors a commanding 25-3 lead with just two bouts remaining in the match.
 
At 197-pounds Cameron Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) went back-and-forth with Quinn Haddad tying the match at eight with under forty seconds to wrestle. After giving up a point by going neutral, Butka tried for the win with a takedown over the final thirty seconds but was unable to muster the move as TCNJ improved its advantage in the match to 28-3 following the 12-8 decision.
 
TCNJ closed out the match with a 5-2 decision win at heavyweight.
 
Wilkes will return to the mat tomorrow (Saturday) when the Colonels compete at the Racich Rumble Tournament hosted by Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa. Wrestling begins at 9:00 a.m.
 
TCNJ 31, WU 3
125 – A. Fashouer (W) dec. N. DeNora (T) 10-4
133 – J. Giordano (T) dec. J. Bauer (W) 8-2
141 – M. Conklin (T) dec. M. Richardson (W) 9-7 (OT, 8:32)
149 – D. DiFrancescantonio (T) major dec. K. Tino (W) 13-2
157 – M. Sacco (T) dec. C. Everdale (W) 6-4
165 – M. Surich (T) dec. J. Geiger (W) 6-4
174 – R. Colella (T) fall J. Devito (W) 2:39
184 – D. Surich (T) dec. C. Babcock (W) 9-5
197 – Q. Haddad (T) dec. C. Butka (W) 12-8
285 – T. Maretta (T) dec. S. McCurdy (W) 5-2
 
Exhibitions
157 – C. Dougherty (T) dec. A. Dillon (W) 8-1
157 – C. Dix (W) major dec. A. Amato (T) 11-0