PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The 23rd-ranked Castleton University wrestling team picked up its best-ever finish at the NEWA Dual Championships, placing third in the event after a 3-1 record on the day.
 
The Spartans knocked off Worcester Polytechnic Institute, University of Southern Maine and No. 29 Springfield en route to third place, with their only loss coming at the hands of No. 11 Johnson & Wales. Castleton opened the day with a 45-3 win over WPI before advancing to the semifinals with a 44-3 drubbing of Southern Maine. The Spartans met JWU in the semifinal round, coming up short 28-9, but rebounded with a 19-13 win over Springfield in the third-place match.

Michael Gonyea was named to the NEWA All-Tournament Team at 133 pounds after a 4-0 day that featured three pins and a win via decision.
 
Castleton 45, WPI 3
The Spartans opened the day with a dominant win, beginning with an 8-4 decision at 125 by Kaya Bogle. After a pin in 4:32 by Gonyea at 133, James Rodriguez earned a decision win 6-5 and Nicholas Roeger logged a major decision win 10-1 to put Castleton on top 16-0 as a team. Logan Dubuque kept the streak rolling with a pin in just 38 seconds, pushing the lead to 22-0.
 
After a loss at 165 by Michael Angers got WPI on the board, the Spartans got back in the win column at 174 when Cooper Fleming won via fall in 3:17. Sampson Wilkins dominated his opponent with a 15-0 technical fall to make it 33-3, and Chance LaPier and Shea Garand wrapped up the match with consecutive pins at 197 and 285, respectively, making the final score 45-3.
 
Castleton 44, USM 3
Castleton against got off to a hot start against USM, winning via forfeit at 125 before Gonyea notched another pin at 133 to make it 12-0 after two bouts. Rodriguez, Roeger and Dubuque all won major decisions to make it 24-0, but Angers fell in a tight decision at 165 to make it 24-3 in favor of the Spartans.
 
Fleming picked up a 16-1 technical fall win at 174, and Wilkins followed with a 3-0 decision win at 184 to make it 32-3. Castleton tacked on 12 points in the final two bouts again, with LaPier winning via pin at 197 and Garand earning a win via forfeit at 285.
 
Johnson & Wales 28, Castleton 9
The Wildcats dealt Castleton a loss to start the semifinal match at 125, with Bogle coming up short in an 8-4 decision. The Spartans took the lead 6-3 when Gonyea netted his third consecutive pin, needing just 3:57 to end his match and put the Spartans ahead 6-3. Rodriguez hung tough with the nation's No. 7 141-pounder, ultimately coming up on the wrong side of an 8-2 decision to knot the team scoring at 6-6. JWU then won five straight bouts to take a 21-6 lead, but Wilkins snapped the skid to keep Castleton alive with a decision win at 184, 7-0.
 
Trailing by 21-9 with two bouts to go, the Spartans needed pins at both 197 and 285 to knot the match at 21 apiece. The Spartans were unable to get it done, as JWU sealed the match with a decision win at 197 and a major decision win at 285 to make the final 28-9.
 
Castleton 19, Springfield 13
The Spartans trailed for a majority of the match, but rallied late to seal the win in the third-place match against the Pride. Owen Kretschmer dropped a major decision to start the match, but Gonyea netted a decision win, 5-1, to make it 4-3 Springfield. Rodriguez lost by decision at 141, but Roeger brought the deficit back to just one point with a 3-1 win in the first sudden victory period at 149 pounds. Dubuque fell at 157 by decision, but again Castleton hung close with a decision win by Angers at 165, 3-2.
 
The Spartans took their first lead of the match when Fleming logged a 17-4 major-decision win at 174 pounds, and Wilkins followed with a 4-1 decision win at 184. Haven Tatarek won 13-6 at 197 pounds to make it 19-10 and seal the win. Garand fell by decision at 285, but it made no difference as the Spartans finished on top 19-13.
 
Castleton returns to action on Friday night at Western New England at 7 p.m.