Leading off the first two matches were the co-captains, Rocco Mansueto at 125 lbs. and Nick Boucher at 133 lbs. Mansueto only needed 2:15 to pin his opponent. He grabbed two takedowns and then finished off John Carroll's Vinnie Spitler in a cradle. In the second match Boucher had six takedowns and a near-fall to win, 17-3. At 141 Ryan Guciardo used six takedowns and a reversal to give CSU another major decision, 15-7. However, Guciardo re-injured the ankle he originally injured at the CSU intersquad. Redshirt freshmen Anthony Coleman and Jason Effner also gave the Vikes major decisions at 149 and 157 lbs., respectively. Coleman and Effner did not allow their opponents to score any points off them other than through escapes. In fact, John Carroll only managed seven takedowns in ten matches.
In perhaps the night's most exciting match, CSU freshman Joe Phillips went up against John Carroll's David Lance. Phillips scored the first points on a takedown in the second period. Yet with 30 seconds remaining in the second, Lance caught Phillips in a single leg shoot. But Phillips, showing incredible balance, stayed on one foot to burn out the clock. He avoided another takedown with great balance in the third period, and then had a near-fall to win, 5-2.
The Viking wrestlers scored first in every match except two. In five matches John Carroll was unable to score points other than those off escapes. John Carroll did not hold a lead in a match until the sixth one, which CSU's Jeff Polk came back to win by major decision, 13-5. The Viking's next dual, at Edinboro, will open conference play.
