PROVIDENCE, R.I. -The Vermont State University Castleton wrestling team finished fourth out of 16 teams Saturday at the Rhode Island College Open.
 
The Spartans earned 67.5 team points, with two third-place finishers and one fourth-place finisher. The host team, Rhode Island College, finished first with 173 points, followed by Oneonta (124.5) and New England College (89), with the New York Military (57.5) rounding out the top five.
 
The Spartans had three place winners in Justyce Mercado at 157 pounds, Rahmiere Bradley at 285 pounds, and Viktor Banda at 141 pounds.
 
Mercado earned a third-place finish going 5-1 on the day. He opened the day with a pin over Maine Maritime Academy's Evrit Roy, followed by another pin against Milo Wrestling Club's Lorenzo Giaccarini. Mercado won via tech fall in his third match of the day, before dropping his fourth to Rocco Hayden of New England College. He won via major decision in his fifth match of the day, before securing third via decision in his final match of the day.
 
Bradley earned a third-place finish as well, finishing the day at 3-1. He won via decision in his first match of the day, before falling via decision in his second match to the host team Rhode Island College's Michael Alfonso. He took down Brandon Lavasta of New England College via decision in his third match of the day and earned another win via decision in his final match of the day.
 
Banda finished fourth at 141 pounds, going 3-2 on the day. He won via tech fall in his first match of the day and took down Rhode Island College's Sebastian Armstrong in his second match of the day via decision. Falling in his third match, Banda bounced back and beat Owen Roche of Rhode Island College via pin, before falling via decision in his final match of the day.
 
The Spartans host Delaware Valley in their home opener on Friday, November 15 at 6:30 p.m.