The Muhlenberg wrestling team had a strong first day at the Citrus Open in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., winning 10 bouts in a highly competitive field. Of the eight Division III teams in the tournament, three are nationally ranked, including 2015 national champion Augsburg.

Freshman Steven Rice, seeded fifth at 184, advanced to the championship semifinals with a 6-4 decision against an Oneonta State wrestler who knocked off the fourth seed by major decision. Up next for Rice is the top seed from Williams.

Two other Mules - freshman Austin Sherman (133) and sophomore Gennaro Cerminara (197) - made it through the day with just one loss.

Sherman, who dropped down a weight class to compete at 133 for the first time as a Mule, advanced with his second pin of the season and a decision.

Cerminara (pictured above) was seeded fifth and opened the tournament with his team-leading seventh pin of the season against an opponent from fourth-ranked Wis.-La Crosse. He rebounded from his loss by defeating a Liberty wrestler.

Junior Ben Peck notched the most wins on the day, going 3-2 with a major decision and a pin at 149. Both of his losses came to Augsburg opponents. Freshman Michael Dougan posted a win at 157, and sophomore Jimmy Fratantoni (165) dropped a close decision to an Augsburg wrestler who is a rankings contender on D3wrestle.com.

Team Scores
1. Augsburg (A) 109
2. Cornell College (CC) 95.5
3. Wis.-La Crosse (UWL) 74
4. Oneonta State (O) 71
5. John Carroll (JC) 56.5
6. Williams (W) 51.5
7. Liberty (L) 39
8. MUHLENBERG (Muhl) 33
9. Ursinus (U) 27.5
10. UNC Pembroke (NCP) 26
11. Florida (F) 11.5
12. Florida Gulf Coast (FGC) .5

Muhlenberg Results
125 
(3) Victor Gliva (A) tech fall Connor McGee (Muhl), 17-2
Dietrich Hartman (W) tech fall McGee, 20-4

133 
(3) Nathan Shank (CC) pinned Austin Sherman (Muhl), 2:34
Sherman pinned Raymon Troncoso (F), 6:41
Sherman dec. Montgomery Frederiksen (A), 7-2
Sherman vs. (8) Mitch Tikkanen (JC)

141 
(8) Anthony Messina (O) pinned Jonny Greenblatt (Muhl), 1:58
Mike Hayes (A) pinned Greenblatt, 0:35

149 
Ben Peck (Muhl) maj. dec. Adam Plotkin (CC), 13-3
(3) Ryan Epps (A) tech fall Peck, 15-0
Peck dec. Aaron Sweeney (UWL), 6-4
Peck pinned Alex Pankhurst (W), 3:57
(8) Tanner Vassar (A) pinned Peck, 0:46

157 
(7) Daniel Murphy (O) dec. Michael Dougan (Muhl), 7-6
Dougan dec. Seth Niichel (CC), 9-8
Dylan Millson (W) dec. Dougan, 12-5

165 
(9) Brady McFarland (A) dec. (8) Jimmy Fratantoni (Muhl), 7-4
Gable Frandsen (A) dec. Fratantoni, 7-4

165 
(3) Trace Thome (F) maj. dec. Cam Wasson (Muhl), 9-1
Casey Malloy (NCP) maj. dec. Wasson, 15-4

184 
(5) Steven Rice (Muhl) dec. Lantze Lange (O), 6-4
Rice vs. (1) Christopher Chorzepa (W)

197 
(5) Gennaro Cerminara (Muhl) pinned Adam Gusky (UWL), 6:40
(4) Ben Bergen (CC) pinned Cerminara, 1:08
Cerminara def. David Smith (L)
Cerminara vs. Timothy Flower (O)