WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's wrestling team opened its home dual match schedule falling to Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) 31-12 Friday night inside the Marts Center.
 
RIT jumped out to a 20-0 lead with wins at 174, 184, 197, 285 and 125 before a forfeit gave Wilkes its first points of the night.
 
Ashton Romberger (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg) (149-pounds) kept his unbeaten start of the season alive earning a hard-fought 3-2 decision over Cael Raines using a late reversal to earn the win. James Sloan (Hewitt, NJ/St. Joseph's Regional) made it back-to-back wins for Wilkes when he posted an 8-2 decision over Zach Gerby at 157-pounds.
 
Wilkes returns to the mat tomorrow (Saturday) when the Colonels compete in the Ned McGinley Invitational hosted by King's College starting at 9:00 a.m.
 
RIT 31, Wilkes 12
125 – Vincent Mastrianni (R) major dec. T. Longo (W) 13-3
133 – C. Kerwin (W) won by forfeit
141 – Isaiah Shafer (R) fall J. Johnson (W) 4:22
149 – A. Romberger (W) dec. Cael Raines (R) 3-2
157 – J. Sloan (W) dec. Zach Gerby (R) 8-2
165 – Jared Lee (R) tech. fall H. Troutman (W) 19-3 (5:55)
174 – Tyler Balent (R) major dec. P. Gordon (W) 12-3
184 – Jack Lamson (R) dec. L. Miller (W) 5-1
197 – Dylan Fitzgerald (R) dec. J. Billinski (W) 4-1
285 – Elon Martin (R) fall L. Abilio (W) 6:26