CASTLETON, Vt. – The Castleton University wrestling team improved upon its stellar dual record with a pair of victories on Saturday, defeating New Jersey City University and New England College as part of a tri match at Glenbrook Gym.
 
Chance LaPier became just the third wrestler to win 100 matches as a Spartan, joining Mitchell LaFlam and Max Tempel in the 100-win club. He entered the day with 98 wins and bested both of his opponents to reach the milestone.
 
The Spartans (8-1) opened their day with a 38-3 drubbing of NJCU before besting NEC 40-12 despite falling in an early hole. NJCU and NEC wrestled a tight match earlier in the afternoon, with NJCU coming out on top 24-22 in neutral-site action.
 
The Spartans are back in action next Saturday, January 22, at the Johnson & Wales Wildcat Open.
 
Castleton 38, NJCU 3
The Spartans got on the board first with a 6-4 decision from Owen Kretschmer, before Michael Gonyea doubled the lead to 6-0 with a 9-8 decision victory—the deciding point coming from the riding time bonus. James Rodriguez cruised to victory with a pin in 4:54 before Nicholas Roeger won at 149 with a 10-3 decision. Logan Dubuque made it five straight wins for the Spartans with a 12-1 major decision, putting Castleton ahead 19-0 at the time.
 
NJCU got on the board at 165 when Jeff Johnson won a narrow match against Michael Angers, 6-5, but that was all the Gothic Knights managed as Cooper Fleming won 9-3 at 174, Sampson Wilkins pinned his opponent in 2:45 and Chance LaPier won a 12-3 major decision at 197. A forfeit by NJCU at heavyweight capped the Spartans' 38-3 victory.
 
Castleton 40, NEC 12
The Pilgrims came out firing, with Chris DeRosa pinning Kretschmer to start the match off with NEC ahead 6-0. Diego Santiago followed up with a 2-1 decision win over Gonyea, giving NEC a 9-0 lead after two bouts. Castleton got on the board when Rodriguez logged a pin at 141, making it 9-6, but NEC's Evan Fidelibus was a 4-1 winner of Roeger at 149 to push the NEC lead to 12-6. After a forfeit at 157 by the Pilgrims tied the score at 12-12, Castleton never looked back.
 
Angers started a five-match run of wins with a 10-1 major decision, before Fleming notched a pin at 174 in 4:56. Wilkins picked up a forfeit victory at 184 and LaPier logged his 100th win with an emphatic pin in just 45 seconds. Shea Garand capped the evening with a pin of his own at 285, needing just 1:52 to end the match with Castleton on top 40-12.