PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Vermont State University Castleton wrestling team split in their appearance at the Johnson & Wales Quad, Saturday afternoon. The team opened the day against West Liberty, falling 31-6, and bounced back to narrowly beat Coast Guard for the second time in program history, 22-20.

West Liberty 31, No. 9 Castleton 6
Drew Marchese (125) opened the first dual of the day with an 11-4 win via decision, giving Castleton a 3-0 lead. The Spartans forfeited at 133, putting West Liberty up 6-3. Stone Farnsworth (141) fell via major decision, as did Nicolas Balella at 149 pounds. Nathaniel Camiscioli battled at 157 pounds, but fell 6-0 via decision.

Jashon Holmes pulled out a 4-2 decision win at 165 pounds, giving the Spartans their sixth and final team point of the dual. Colby Celuck (174) fell via technical fall, while the final three matches of the dual at 184, 197, and 285 pounds were all taken by West Liberty via close decisions.

No. 9 Castleton 22, No. 15 Coast Guard 20
Marchese notched his second win of the day at 125 pounds due to an injury forfeit over the 15th-ranked wrestler Nikko Beato, while the team forfeited the match at 133 pounds, tying the dual at six each. Farnsworth notched a 5-3 decision win at 141 pounds, and Joseph Kennedy fell via technical fall to the 14th-ranked wrestler Nate Fitt at 149 pounds. The 157-pound match was a battle between the seventh and eighth-nationally ranked wrestlers, as Camiscioli notched a 5-0 decision win over Jacob Woodburn, putting Castleton up 12-11.

Holmes (165) earned his second win of the day, in a 7-1 victory via decision, extending the lead to 15-11. Celuckk dropped a 16-6 major decision loss at 174 pounds, followed by Desmond McLaughlin, who took down the 14th-ranked Gabe Monroe via major decision, 11-3, to keep Castleton ahead 19-15. Josh Negron earned a 6-2 win at 197 pounds to keep the Spartans up 22-15, before Keonta Crawford fell via technical fall to the second-ranked wrestler at 285 pounds.

The team returns to Glenbrook Gym next Saturday, November 22, as they host Stevens and Roanoke for the Castleton Tri-Match, set to start at 12 p.m.