SCRANTON, PA. - The New Jersey City University (NJCU) men's wrestling team had a strong showing at the Electric City Duals, hosted by Scranton University on Sunday, Nov. 17. The Gothic Knights (5-6) finished third out of eight teams.

Round 1: NJCU vs. Oneonta State
The Gothic Knights opened the day against Oneonta State, the eventual tournament champions. NJCU fell 46-6, but freshman Fabian Acuna (Somerville, N.J./Somerville) kept the team from being shut out with a pin in 4:33 in the 174-pound weight class.

Round 2: NJCU vs. Elmira
NJCU bounced back in round two with a dominant 34-17 victory over Elmira. The Green and Gold grabbed an early 12-0 lead thanks to forfeit wins in the 125 and 133-pound matches. Sophomore Dean Costantino (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) then earned a pin in 2:57 in the 141-pound bout, followed by junior Andy Beras' (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) 18-0 technical fall in 2:49, extending NJCU's lead to 23-0. Junior Zack Vera (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) added a 21-4 technical fall in 3:18 in the 157-pound match. Elmira managed to score points in the 165 and 175-pound classes, but Acuna answered back with another pin, this time in 4:33 in the 184-pound match. Elmira cut the deficit to 34-17 with wins in the 197 and 285-pound matches.

Round 3: NJCU vs. Scranton "B" Team
NJCU continued their strong performance in round three, defeating Scranton's "B" team 32-19. Freshman Dominic Terracciano (Keansburg, N.J./Keansburg) started the round with an 8-7 decision in the 125 class, followed by junior Lucas Torre's (Point Pleasant, N.J./Brick Memorial) pin in 1:17 in the 133-pound bout. Costantino then pinned his opponent in 3:39 in the 141-pound match. The Royals gained some ground with a decision win in the 149-pound matchup, but Vera responded with a 19-4 tech fall in 5:19 in the 157-pound class. Scranton narrowed the gap with wins in the 165 and 174-pound classes, but Acuna's third pin of the day (2:39 in the 184-pound match) extended the lead to 26-18. A forfeit in the 197 class and junior Jayden Reyes' pin in 2:49 in the 285-pound match sealed the win.

Round 4: NJCU vs. Scranton "A" Team
In a tight contest, NJCU was edged 27-26 by Scranton's "A" team. Terracciano recorded a 25-16 major decision, Torre pinned his opponent in 1:24, and Costantino followed with a 20-4 technical fall in 4:46. Vera added a 24-8 tech fall in 7:00, and Acuna rounded out NJCU's scoring with a quick 50-second pin. However, Scranton secured wins in the 149, 165, 174, 197, and 285-pound bouts to narrowly edge out the Gothic Knights.

Round 5: NJCU vs. Pittsburgh-Bradford
In the final round, NJCU ended the day on a high note with a dominant 46-10 victory over Pittsburgh-Bradford. Terracciano set the tone with a pin in 45 seconds, followed by Torre's 18-1 tech fall in 5:17. Costantino added another pin in 1:25, and Vera earned a 20-5 tech fall in 5:47. Senior Mikey Cross (Union, N.J./Union City) secured a pin in 2:45 in the 157-pound class, while sophomore Jayson Candelario (Madison, N.J./Madison) pinned his opponent in 6:40 at 165 pounds. Sophomore Diego Viera (Belleville, N.J./Belleville) collected a forfeit, putting NJCU up 40-0. Pittsburgh-Bradford managed 10 points from the 184 and 197-pound matches, but NJCU sealed the win with a pin by Walter Thomas in 1:37 in the 285-pound match.

UP NEXT:
The Gothic Knights head to Hunter College on Friday, Dec. 6 for a 3:00 p.m. matchup.