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Nick Suriano took on the number one seed at the NCAA Wrestling Championships....and won.
In the semifinals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, the undefeated (25-0) Scarlet Knight defeated Lehigh’s Darian Cruz, the defending 125 pound champion. He becomes the first Rutgers wrestler to ever compete in the finals.
Aftera scoreless first period, a quick escape in the second plus a stall point gave Suriano a 2-0 lead. They held it scoreless for the win.
125 | No. 4 Nick Suriano defeats No. 1 Darian Cruz (Lehigh), 2-0, to become the first national finalist in Rutgers history!#RUWR | #RelentlessPursuit pic.twitter.com/FbQW4KoJHx
— Rutgers Wrestling (@RUWrestling) March 17, 2018
Suriano will wrestle Iowa’s Spencer Lee (third seed) - who pinned Ohio State’s Nathan Tomasello (second seed) - on Saturday in the NCAA finals. The Finals begin st 8 pm on ESPN.
PRESSER: Nick Suriano meets the national media after tonight's semifinal win over No. 1 Darian Cruz. pic.twitter.com/g3l8abdV0G
— Rutgers Wrestling (@RUWrestling) March 17, 2018