Appalachian State 26, Gardner-Webb 18

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. -- On the strength of a technical fall by Neal Martin and a pinfall by Kevin Worsowicz, Appalachian State University wrestling jumped out to an early 14-0 lead and held on for a 26-18 victory at Gardner-Webb on Wednesday evening. With its third-straight victory, Appalachian moved above .500 on the season with a 5-4-1 record in dual meets.

Martin’s 16-0 technical fall over Gardner-Webb’s Matthias Piasecki at 174 pounds and Worsowicz’s pin of GWU’s Brandon Beach with 34 seconds remaining in the 184-pound match helped ASU grab the early 14-point advantage.

Gardner-Webb (5-9) closed the gap to 17-15 by winning three of the next four matches, but a pin by 141-pounder Marcus Cox and a victory by 157-pounder Scott Ervin secured the triumph for Appalachian. With his 3-2 decision over GWU?s Adam Glaser, Ervin upped his personal undefeated record to 16-0 on the season.

The Mountaineers open Southern Conference action and return home for the first time in over a month when they host UNC Greensboro on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. in Varsity Gym.