NOVEMBER 30, 2011

KING'S WRESTLING DROPS HOME DUAL MEET OPENER TO 24^TH RANKED TCNJ

WILKES-BARRE – The 24^th ranked College of New Jersey wrestling team opened up a 22-0 lead, handing host King's College a 31-16 defeat in the Monarchs home dual meet debut Wednesday night in Scandlon Gymnasium.

With the win, TCNJ improved to 2-1 on the year while the Monarchs slipped to 1-3.          

In the first match at 125-pounds, P.J. Schmidt of TCNJ scored a takedown midway through the first period for a 2-0 lead. In the second period, Schmidt scored a reversal for a 4-0 advantage before Perez escaped to cut the lead to 4-1. Schmidt countered with a takedown and fall at 4:38. At 133, the Lions stretched the lead to 12-0 when 2011 Metro Conference runner-up Dan Herr pinned Travis Boardman in 0:28.

At 141, King's Mike LaPorta scored an early takedown and near fall points to build a 5-0 lead over Brian Bollette. Bollette answered with an escape and takedown to close to within 5-3 heading into the second period. After Bollette scored another escape, the Lion senior added a takedown to build a 6-5 lead. Bollette dominated the third period to post a 17-9 major decision, giving TCNJ a 16-0 lead. At 149, the Lions Chris Lombardi received a forfeit to push the score to 22-0.

In the 157-pound class, TCNJ's John Darling broke up a scoreless first period with a second period escape. Jiunta then used a third period escape to tie the score at 1-1 with 1:25 left in the match. The bout went scoreless the rest away as the wrestlers headed into overtime. Jiunta then scored a takedown and two near fall points over the final 0:22 of the first overtime period to post a 5-1 decision to cut the team score to 22-3.

At 165, Zach Zotollo gave TCNJ a 28-3 lead by pinning Zach Grey in 2:04. In the 174-pound class, King's Shane Stark used a takedown for a 2-0 lead, then turned Dylan Kelly to his back for a pin in 2:01, cutting the Lion lead to 28-9.

At 184, two-time all-American Mike Denver of TCNJ and King's Frank Marinucci battled to a 0-0 tie after one period. Denver escaped to start the second period and followed with a takedown for a 3-0 lead. Denver used two more takedowns in the third period to earn a 7-2 decision, upping the Lion lead to 31-9.

At 197, King's all-American Mike Reilly used four takedowns to secure a 10-1 major decision over Dan Brill to trim the score to 31-13.  In the final match at 285, King's Peter Dwyer posted a 4-1 decision over Trevor Salvatore on the strength of a penalty point, escape, and takedown to cut the final margin to 31-16.

King's will next compete in the Rochester Institute of Technology Invitational Saturday in Rochester, NY.


TCNJ 31 – King's 16
125:  P.J. Schmidt (NJ) pinned Aaron Perez (K), 4:38
133:  Dan Herr (NJ) pinned Travis Boardman (K), 0:28
141:  Brian Bollette (NJ) major dec. Mike LaPorta (K), 17-9
149:  Chris Lombardi (NJ won by forfeit
157:  Jordan Jiunta (K) dec. John Darling (NJ), 5-1 OT
165:  Zach Zotollo (NJ) pinned Zach Grey (K), 2:04
174:  Shane Stark (K) pinned Dylan Kelly (NJ), 2:01
184:  Mike Denver (NJ) dec. Frank Marinucci (K), 7-2
197:  Mike Reilly major dec. Dan Brill (NJ), 10-1
285:  Peter Dwyer (K) dec. Trevor Salvatore (NJ), 4-1