Providence, R.I.—Junior 197 lbs. Daniel Sblendorio (Mountainside, NJ) picked up a 5-3 decision to help Rhode Island College defeat New England College, 22-21, in New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) action held at the RIC Recreation Center on Saturday evening.

THE BASICS
Rhode Island College 22, New England College 21
Rhode Island College (5-8)
New England College (3-3)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• NEC junior 125 lbs. Diego Santiago (Easton, PA) picked up a 19-3 technical fall win over RIC freshman Brandon Nunez (Far Rockaway, NJ) to open the match. Both teams were docked a point for unsportsmanlike conduct following the bout.

• RIC freshman 141 lbs. Nathan Lackman (Wernersville, PA) earned a technical fall, 18-3, over junior Orlando Rojas (Haverhill, MA) to pull the Anchormen within four, 8-4.

• NEC junior Evan Fidelibus (Easton, PA) picked up a pin at 149 lbs., while RIC senior Sam Lindblom (Waterford, CT) earned a forfeit at 157 lbs. as the Pilgrims led, 14-10.

• The hosts reeled off nine straight points to go up by five, 19-14, as freshman 165 lbs. Ayomide Onajide (Providence, RI) won a decision and sophomore 174 lbs. Nathan Stemple (Marlboro, MA) won by forfeit.

• New England College senior 184 lbs. Malik Settles (Lowell, MA) brought the Pilgrims within a pair, 19-17, with a decision, but Sblendorio downed freshman Aaron Diaz (Lowell, MA) in the ensuing match to give the Anchormen a five-point, 22-17, cushion. 

• NEC freshman 285 lbs. Omar Eldaly (Wilmington, MA) earned a major decision, but was unable to pick up a technical fall to even the match.

HEAD COACH JAY JONES ON THE MATCH
"I am very proud of the guys for outlasting a very talented team. Both teams are a little banged up, and thankfully we had the depth to overcome them and squeak out a nailbiter. Offensively we have to be more aggressive, like Nate Lackman, who is proving to be a very dependable freshman in the lineup. Defensively, we have to react better to leg attacks and get out of bottom position. Besides Lackman, Ayo Onajide and Danny Sblendorio, we had guys who couldn't get pinned or teched against some of their better guys, so Nunez, Roman and Zanni, helped us win by not giving up the pin points."

BY THE NUMBERS
125 lbs. Diego Santiago (NEC) tech. fall Brandon Nunez (RIC), 19-3
Both teams docked one point due to unsportsmanlike conduct
133 lbs. Chris Derosa (NEC) major dec. Francisco Roman (RIC), 14-5
141 lbs. Nathan Lackman (RIC) tech. fall Orlando Rojas (NEC), 18-3
149 lbs. Evan Fidelibus (NEC) pinned Ja'mon Van Heyningen (RIC) at 2:07
157 lbs. Sam Lindblom (RIC) won by forfeit
165 lbs. Ayomide Onajide (RIC) dec. James Robert (NEC), 18-16
174 lbs. Nathan Stemple (RIC) won by forfeit
184 lbs. Malik Settles (NEC) dec. Jett Tancsik (RIC), 8-4
197 lbs. Daniel Sblendorio (RIC) dec. Aaron Diaz (NEC), 5-3
285 lbs. Omar Eldaly (NEC) major dec. Jordan Zanni (RIC), 12-1

WHAT'S NEXT
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will continue NEWA action at Wesleyan on Saturday, Feb. 1 (7 p.m.).