BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University wrestling team faced off against New England College, falling to the Pilgrims, 26-22, in New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Dual Match in the RWU Campus Rec Center.
 
New England College got off to a quick start with pins at 141 and 149 pounds by John Lafferty and Boburjon Berdiyorov respectively. The Hawks then earned their first points of the match when Ben Bariso (Butler, N.J.) earned a win by technical fall defeating his opponent at 157 pounds, 18-1.
 
Trialing 12-5 after the first three matches, the Pilgrims earned another three points at 165 pounds. Jayden Curley (Mansfield, Mass.) got three points in favor of the Hawks with a 13-9 win by decision, before Cole Shaughnessy (Fairfield, Conn.) took a technical fall victory in 3:28 over his opponent at 184 pounds, cutting the Roger Williams deficit to three.
 
Spencer Fetrow (Holliston, Mass.) pinned his opponent at 197 pounds, giving the Hawks their first lead of the day at 19-16. But the Pilgrims earned a pin at 285 pounds, retaking a three-point lead. Ari Dinerman (Ashland, Mass.) edged out his opponent 3-1 at 125 pounds, heading into the 133-pound match as the decider. Chris DeRosa was able to take the win for the Pilgrims to seal the match.
 
Roger Williams (10-5) will host Johnson & Wales on Friday, Feb. 9 in the Campus Rec Center. The Hawks will then travel to Springfield for the Futures Tournament hosted by Western New England on Sunday, Feb. 25.