CASTLETON, Vt. – The 14th-ranked Vermont State University Castleton wrestling team swept the Little East Conference Tri-Match on Saturday, taking down Rhode Island College 49-5 behind six pins, before capping the day with a 43-8 victory over Southern Maine behind five Spartan pins. Drew Marchese and Jashon Holmes each reached the 100 career wins milestone on the day.

No. 14 VTSU Castleton 49, Rhode Island College 5
Marchese opened the tri-match at 125 pounds, claiming his 100th career win via a 6:30 pin, putting Castleton up 6-0. Stone Farnsworth added to the lead at 133 pounds, with a 4:41 pin, and Nicolas Balella followed up at 141 with an 11-3 major decision win over Hunter Lundberg, giving the Spartans a 16-0 lead. Joseph Kennedy earned an 11-5 win via decision at 149, and Nathaniel Camiscioli notched the Spartans' third pin of the day in 1:44, extending the lead to 25-0.

Holmes earned his first win of the day via forfeit at 165, pushing him to career win number 99, as the Spartans went up 31-0. Castleton's only loss of the match came at 174 via a 21-4 technical fall, giving the Anchormen five team points. Desmond McLaughlin landed his first of two pins on the day, the first coming in 43 seconds at 184 pounds, followed by Josh Negron at 197, pinning Imanol Taveras in 2:35. Keonta Crawford closed out match one for the Spartans with the team's sixth pin of the day in 6:02 at 285 pounds, as Castleton took the 49-5 victory.

No. 14 VTSU Castleton 43, Southern Maine 8
The Spartans kept the momentum rolling into match two of the day, as Marchese opened with a 15-0 technical fall win at 125, extending his career wins to 101. Farnsworth matched up with seventh-ranked Jake Craig at 133 pounds, falling via technical fall as the two teams were tied at five. Balella fell in an 11-4 decision at 141, as Castleton trailed for the first time all day, 8-5. From there, the Spartans rolled through the next seven matches, starting with a pin in 4:46 from Dom Lapier at 149 pounds, pushing the Spartans ahead by three (11-8). At 157 pounds, Camiscioli blanked Colin Sevigney with a 16-0 technical fall victory as Castleton climbed out to a 16-8 lead.

Holmes notched his 100th career victory in his second bout of the day at 165, pinning his opponent in 4:02 as the Spartans went up 22-8. Braeden Gray earned his first win of the day at 174 pounds, with an electric 11-8 decision win, followed by McLaughlin's second pin of the day, this time in just 17 seconds at 184, extending the lead to 31-8. Negron took down his opponent in 1:19 for his second pin of the day at 197, while Crawford did the same at 285, in 1:49, giving Castleton the 43-8 win for a Saturday sweep.

The team will travel to Johnson & Wales in Providence, Rhode Island, for the Wildcat Open on Saturday, January 24, set to begin at 9:30 a.m.