KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Dec. 13, 2014) - On Saturday, the LIU Post wrestling team lost three hard-fought matches at the Mariner Duals, held at Liebertz Gymnasium on the campus of the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

The Pioneers squared off with Johnson & Wales first, falling to the Wildcats by a 28-17 final. Johnson & Wales opened the scoring with a 13-5 major decision victory at the 125-pound weight class. The green and gold got three points back though, thanks to a 12-7 decision at the 133-lb. discipline in favor of senior Francisco Viera-Pereira (Huntington Station, N.Y.). Red-shirt freshman Jackson Mordente (Farmingville, N.Y.) recorded an 18-3 technical fall win at the 157-lb. class, but the Wildcats jumped out to a 22-8 lead on the heels of two pinfalls at the 149- and 174-pound classes. Freshman Ronnie King (Islip, N.Y.) picked up a six-point win via disqualification at the 184-lb. discipline and senior Chris DiIorio (Holtsville, N.Y.) notched a 3-0 victory at the 197-pound match to cut the deficit to five. Needing a pinfall to win, the Pioneers found themselves on the wrong end of the six-point fall in the 285-lb. duel, providing Johnson & Wales with the win.

Next, LIU Post competed in a nailbiting duel with WPI, dropping a 20-19 heartbreaker. After losing the first bout to fall behind by three points, freshman Joe Calderone (Huntington Station, N.Y.) gave the green and gold a pinfall at the 3:27 mark of the 133-pound match. The Pioneers would win the next three bouts by decisions to race ahead to a 15-3 lead. However, WPI engineered a comeback by winning three straight duals by technical fall, pinfall and decision, respectively. That gave WPI a brief 17-15 edge that was quickly wiped when DiIorio scored a major decision to give LIU Post a 19-17 advantage. Yet, a 9-6 decision at the 285-pound class doomed the Pioneers to a second loss on the day.

Finally, the green and gold faced off with Roger Williams in their final dual meet of the afternoon. The Hawks picked up four points at the 125-pound weight class, via a 15-7 major decision victory. But, the Pioneers reclaimed the lead thanks to another pinfall by Calderone at the 133-lb. discipline, coupled with a 7-0 decision in the 141-pound class in favor of junior Jesse Meaney (Toms River, N.J.). Roger Williams would take the next seven bouts, including winning two via pinfall and two by major decision, to take the dual by a score of 33-9.

Head Coach Joe Patrovich and the Pioneers return to the mat Sunday (Dec. 14), when they host Kutztown in a dual meet at the Pratt Recreation Center at noon.

LIU Post vs. Johnson & Wales - Dec. 13, 2014
125: Bobby Jordan (J&W) def. Tyler Walsh (LIU) by major decision, 13-5
133: Francisco Viera-Pereira (LIU) def. D.J. Pirelli (J&W), 12-7
141: Michael Ferinde (J&W) def. Jesse Meaney (LIU), 12-7
149: Joey Gaccione (J&W) def. Matt Langan (LIU) by pinfall (0:49)
157: Jackson Mordente (LIU) def. Andrew Stock (J&W) by technical fall, 18-3
165: Sean Prell (J&W) def. Ed Ramirez, Jr. (LIU), 4-0
174: Michael Labell (J&W) def. Johnny Brush (LIU) by pinfall (0:42)
184: Ronnie King (LIU) def. Dylan Seybolt (J&W) by disqualification
197: Chris DiIorio (LIU) def. Andrew Cavanna (J&W), 3-0
285: Phil Kelly (J&W) def. James Louison (LIU) by pinfall (2:18)

LIU Post vs. WPI - Dec. 13, 2014
125: Steven Jendritz (WPI) def. Tyler Walsh (LIU), 6-3
133: Joe Calderone (LIU) def. Brian Amato (WPI) by pinfall (3:27)
141: Vinny Turano (LIU) def. Jack Nigro (WPI), 8-1
149: Matt Langan (LIU) def. Zach Rahl (WPI), 5-2
157: Jackson Mordente (LIU) def. Tanner Burke (WPI), 5-1
165: Andrew Tanner (WPI) def. Corey Ashe (LIU) by technicall fall, 15-0
174: Justin Marsh (WPI) def. Johnny Brush (LIU) by pinfall (4:31)
184: Lucas Muntz (WPI) def. Jake Horton (LIU), 7-3
197: Chris DiIorio (LIU) def. Ted Kostopoulos (WPI) by major decision, 14-6
285: Logan Mendelson (WPI) def. James Louison (LIU), 9-6

LIU Post vs. Roger Williams - Dec. 13, 2014
125: Nick Barbaria (RW) def. Tyler Walsh (LIU) by major decision, 15-7
133: Joe Calderone (LIU) def. Carter Merecki (RW) by pinfall (5:34)
141: Jesse Meaney (LIU) def. Justin Cochran (RW), 7-0
149: Daniel Downes (RW) def. Matt Langan (LIU), 10-5
157: Ty Herzog (RW) def. Jackson Mordente (LIU), 5-4
165: Frank Colon (RW) def. Ed Ramirez, Jr. (LIU) by major decision, 11-2
174: Al Golner (RW) def. Corey Ashe (LIU) by major decision, 11-0
184: Dan Ressler (RW) def. Ronnie King (LIU), 5-3
197: David Welch (RW) def. Chris DiIorio (LIU) by pinfall (4:35)
285: Kyle Foster (RW) def. James Louison (LIU) by pinfall (2:55)