A last-second win by junior Jake Gordon and a pin by junior Gennaro Cerminara highlighted the day as the Muhlenberg wrestling team competed in Grapple at the Garden for the third straight year.

The Mules were defeated by 16th-ranked New York University, 37-12, and Oswego State, 39-7.

Gordon (pictured above saluting the many Muhlenberg fans at Madison Square Garden) was tied 5-5 late in the third period of his 174-pound bout against Oswego State but was in danger of losing with his opponent holding a riding-time advantage of more than 1:30. With the clock ticking down, Gordon took down his opponent just before time expired for a 7-6 win.

The outcome was less in doubt in Cerminara's bout at 197 against NYU. He took his opponent down to his back midway through the first period for his team-leading fifth pin of the season.

The Mules' other win in a contested bout came from freshman Michael Dougan at 157 against Oswego. A back-and-forth first period that featured consecutive reversals ended with Dougan holding a 7-6 lead. Near the end of the second period, Dougan (pictured at left) scored a takedown and a four-point near-fall to open up a 15-8 advantage.

It was 16-9 with Dougan needing a takedown for a major decision, and he got it with fewer than 30 seconds left in the third period. A point for riding time made the final score 19-10 and gave Dougan his second consecutive major decision.

Gordon wrestled a competitive bout against a tough opponent from NYU, falling 5-2 to the seventh-ranked wrestler in Division III. Similarly, sophomore Jimmy Fratantoni, who picked up a forfeit win against NYU, lost 3-1 on a second-period takedown against an Oswego wrestler who is listed as a rankings contender at 165 by D3wrestle.com.

Box Scores
New York University 37, Muhlenberg 12
125 Wayne Yuan (NY) won by forfeit
133 Austin Day (NY) tech fall Connor McGee, 2:03
141 Evan Drill (NY) maj. dec. Quentin Bernhard, 14-3
149 Matt Coppola (NY) maj. dec. Ben Peck, 18-5
157 Raymond Jazikoff (NY) tech fall Will Lamb, 6:56
165 Jimmy Fratantoni (M) won by forfeit
174 John Messinger (NY) dec. Jake Gordon, 5-2
184 Jackson Klingerman (NY) dec. Steven Rice, 5-4
197 Gennaro Cerminara (M) pinned Jack LaCorte, 1:28
HWT Kyle Paterson (NY) pinned Scott Schaeffer, 1:22

Oswego State 39, Muhlenberg 7
125 Jack DelDuca (O) won by forfeit
133 James Ronca (O) tech fall Connor McGee, 3:26
141 Evan Corso (O) dec. Austin Sherman, 8-5
149 Joey Bush (O) pinned Ben Peck, 1:39
157 Michael Dougan (M) maj. dec. Jon Crast, 19-10
165 Troy Seymour (O) dec. Jimmy Fratantoni, 3-1
174 Jake Gordon (M) dec. Mike Southwick, 7-6
184 Jordan Bushey (O) pinned Steven Rice, 5:30
197 Daniel Smith (O) maj. dec. Gennaro Cerminara, 14-6
HWT Kade Andrews (O) pinned Scott Schaeffer, 2:33