Ewing, NJ... The College of New Jersey wrestling team improved to a modest 2-0 on the young season in dual meet action as the Lions bested visiting Hunter College by the score of 37-7 on Wednesday at Packer Hall.
The Lions, ranked 12th in the latest Brute –Adidas National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III poll, trailed early in the match before reeling off seven straight victories to close out the match.
The Hawks took the initial lead winning at 125 as Greg Pollock (Milburn, NJ/Milburn) outlasted TCNJ's Danny Franke (Jackson, NJ/Freehold Boro) 3-1 in three overtimes.
That lead was short lived as Lion sophomore Dan Herr (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) won by fall at 133 recording the pin in 2:24.
Hunter took the lead right back as Sean Messina (West Islip, NY/West Islip) topped TCNJ's Anthony Damico (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) with a 15-3 major decision.
The lead changed hands for the final time at 141 pounds as senior Tyler Branham (Newton, NJ/Kittatinny) beat Hunter's Shabazz Bailey (Walden, NY/Valley), 10-2, putting the hosts back in front by the score of 10-7.
The Lions continued to roll through the middle weights as Dan DiColo (Budd Lake, NJ/Mount Olive) posted 7-2 win at 157, followed by pin by Al Wonesh (Columbus, NJ/North Burlington) at 165 extending TCNJ's lead to 19-7.
Junior Justin Bonitatis (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) made it four straight wins for the Lions at 174 collecting an 11-7 decision against Emman Sarwari (Coram, NY/Longwood).
At 184, Mike Denver (Bayville, NJ/Central Regional) won by fall in 1:59, with Adam Koziol (Paramus, NJ/Paramus) earning another win got the Lions at 197. Koziol's win came via a 14-7 decision.
In the meet's final bout, TCNJ's Ben Ostner (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Boro) pinned Dan Heydebrand (New York, NY/Leadership) in 5:08 to close out the win.
TCNJ is right back on the mat tomorrow, November 19 facing New York University at 7 p.m. in Packer Hall.
Weight by weight summary
#12 TCNJ 37, Hunter College 7
125: Greg Pollock (HC) dec. Dan Franke (TCNJ), 3-1 (3OT) 0
133: Dan Herr (TCNJ) pinned Ariel Guerrero (HC), 2:24
141: Sean Messina (HC) major dec. Anthony Damico (TCNJ), 15-3
149: Tyler Branham (TCNJ) major dec. Shabazz Bailey (HC), 10-2
157: Dan DiColo (TCNJ) dec. Eduardo Delgado (HC), 7-2
165: Al Wonesh (TCNJ) pinned Jesse Capello-Colon (HC), 2:41
174: Justin Bonitatis (TCNJ) dec. Emman Sarwari (HC), 11-7
184: Mike Denver (TCNJ) pinned Ryan Baxter (HC), 1:59
197: Adam Koziol (TCNJ) dec. RJ Klotz (HC), 14-7
285: Ben Ostner (TCNJ) pinned Dan Heydebrand (HC), 5:08
