HOBOKEN, N.J. (February 4, 2023) – Senior Frank Medina scored a dramatic final-second pin at 184 to send No. 14 Stevens Institute of Technology wrestling over No. 10 The College of New Jersey 22-15 Saturday to close out a non-conference triangular at Canavan Arena. 

Medina joined senior Kyle Slendorn, junior Luke Hoerle, and graduate student Michael Dooley in posting multiple victories on the day as Stevens also topped Averett University 42-3 in the first-ever dual between the programs to improve to 9-4 on the year. The Ducks' nine dual wins are the most for the program since the 2018-19 season. 

TCNJ won five of the 10 matches against Stevens and captured all 10 bouts in a 46-0 shutout over Averett to wrap up the day with an 8-7 record. The Lions have alternated wins and losses over their last four duals. Stevens has won the last two matchups with TCNJ, and four of the last six, although each team has alternated two-game winning streaks over the same period. Averett dropped to 17-10.

With the Ducks clinging to a 13-12 lead, Medina found himself on the wrong side of an 11-3 score against 11th-ranked Quinn Haddad midway through the final period. With Haddad working towards also securing the riding time point, TCNJ appeared headed towards reclaiming a lead in the match after either a decision victory or a major. However, Medina had other plans.

The Millington, New Jersey native first earned an escape with 52 seconds left in the period. Medina then finished his second attempt at a double-leg shot with 20 seconds left. He was then able to successfully muscle Haddad over to complete the takedown. Medina then continued to press and flipped Haddad over a second time. TCNJ's nationally-ranked wrestler then tried to wriggle free from Medina, but was unable to do so and the referee counted the pin in front of the TCNJ bench with just three seconds left in the match, setting off a celebration that included Medina getting the crowd on its feet from the center of the mat.

The electrifying victory ultimately proved to be a nine- or 10-point swing for the Ducks and energized the Canavan crowd. The Ducks would then go on to win two of the final three bouts to score an impressive win over the 10th-ranked Lions.

Hoerle got the Ducks off to a fast start, posting a dominant 14-4 major of seventh-ranked Ryan Rosenthal. First-year Nico Diaz dropped a 9-6 decision to Kyle Nase before Slendorn notched his second pin of the day with a first-period stoppage of Larry Melchionda to push Stevens' advantage to 10-3. TCNJ scored three straight decisions to claim a 12-10 lead.

Major scored three points in the third period to snap a 4-4 tie and defeat No. 13 Reid Colella. TCNJ's 174-pounder scored the first two points of the match with a takedown, before Major reversed. Colella quickly escaped to take a 3-2 lead into the second period. 

From the bottom position, Colella escaped, but Major responded with his first takedown of the match to knot the score at four. 

Major returned the favor at the start of the third, escaping from the bottom position. Colella was charged a penalty point for a second stall, all while Major built up enough riding time to earn the point and provide the final 7-4 margin.

After Medina's heroics gave the Ducks a seven-point cushion, TCNJ's Joe Daddario scored a 7-2 decision at 197 to trim the Ducks' lead back to four.

However, in the final bout of the day, Dooley earned a 2-1 decision over Peter Wersinger at heavyweight to clinch the dual. Each grappler scored an escape point and Dooley received a stalling point late in the final period to provide the final margin of victory.

Against Averett, the Ducks won nine of the 10 bouts, including six with bonus points, to score the dominant victory. 

Hoerle got the day started with an 18-7 major over Daniel Parkulo. The Westfield, New Jersey native scored nine points in the final period to break the match open. 

Diaz returned to the Stevens lineup and posted an 18-3 technical fall over Daniel Porter. The Woodbridge, New Jersey native went on the offensive right away, scoring eight points, including six with a takedown-near-fall combo near the end of the period. Outscoring Porter 5-1 in the second period and 4-1 in the third, Diaz amassed enough riding to earn the riding time point, which led to the technical fall.

Slendorn built a 10-2 lead against Olli Karjalainen before scoring the third-period pin at 141. Sixth-ranked Jose Alvarado recorded Averett's lone victory of the day with a 9-5 decision at 157, securing the win with a late takedown in the third period. 

Sophomore Harrison Hinojosa quickly started another Stevens run, after notching a spirited 11-9 win at 165, before Major recorded his seventh straight win with a second-period pin of Alex Turley.

Medina pinned Khalil Mitchell in the second period for the second fall in as many bouts for the Ducks to push their advantage to 36-3 and consecutive decisions at 197 and 285 provided the final margin of victory. Stevens' 42 points are the most by the team in a dual since a 47-6 victory over Manchester University on Jan. 25, 2020.

In three rounds of extra countable matches, first-year Anthony Bistany and sophomore Blaise Wagner each had three wins, with Wagner's three triumphs all coming with bonus points. Graduate student Jarrett Weir had a pin and a tech fall, while senior Pasquale Vizzoni had a tech fall and a major. Senior James Snyder and junior Andrew Finateri each added two wins to the Ducks' season total, while first-years Justin Ciliotta and Jack Bailey joined sophomores Branden Bulatao (pin), Max Ruiz and Chris Stathopoulos (pin) and senior Jonah Schechtman each won once to round out Stevens' victories on the day. Schechtman scored a 10-1 major over Averett's Nathan Mallery as part of his season debut.

Up Next: No. 14 Wrestling welcomes York to Canavan Arena on Feb. 11 for the final dual of the season. The Ducks topped the Spartans 30-18 last season in Pennsylvania and have won the last two meetings between the teams. Links for live stats and video are available on StevensDucks.com.

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