UNCG 24, Liberty 9

GREENSBORO, NC ? The UNC Greensboro wrestling team finished the regular season with a 24-9 victory over the Liberty Flames on Wednesday evening in Fleming Gymnasium. The Spartans claimed seven of a possible 10 bouts.

 

Junior Chris Bencivenga opened up the evening with a 5-4 decision over Liberty’s Tim Harner to put UNCG up 3-0 early. The Davie, FL native finished the regular season with a perfect 14-0 dual record. The Flames (16-8), however, responded and recorded a 9-6 decision at 149 lbs. and a

5-1 decision at 157 lbs. to take the 6-3 lead. Liberty’s Chad Porter followed with the 9-3 decision at 165 lbs. to give the Flames the 9-3 advantage.

 

UNCG’s Joe Lowe responded with the 5-point technical fall over Joseph Son in 5:00 at 174 lbs. The senior from Lakeland, FL closed out his final season with a flawless 14-0 dual record. Sophomore Kane Smith followed with the 6-2 decision over Chris Daggett at 184 lbs. to put the Spartans out front, 11-9. UNCG extended its lead, 15-9 after freshman Nick Clark grabbed the 14-1 major decision over Liberty’s Rory Bosek.

 

Junior Joe Sheffield added to the Spartan lead after taking the 5-2 decision over Patrick Walker at heavyweight. At 125 lbs., junior Jeff Hedges made a big comeback to take the 8-7 decision over Christian Smith.

After being down 6-0 after the first, Hedges fought back to record his 22nd win of the season and seal the win for the Spartans. Freshman Mitchell Johnson closed out the evening with a dramatic 6-4 overtime decision over Sam Walters at 133 lbs. to give UNCG the 24-9 victory.

 

The Spartans finished up the regular season with a 10-4 overall record and a 4-1 record in Southern Conference action.

 

Up next for the Spartans is the Mat Jam/SoCon Championship being held in Raleigh, NC on March 3.

 

 

UNCG ? 24, Liberty - 9

 

141 ? Chris Bencivenga (UNCG) def. Tim Harner (Liberty) by decision; 5-4

149 ? Aaron Kelly (Liberty) def. Marcus Hannah (UNCG) by decision; 9-6

157 ? Shaun Smith (Liberty) def. Nathan Berryman (UNCG) by decision; 5-1

165 ? Chad Porter (Liberty) def. Mark Ring (UNCG) by decision; 9-3

174 ? Joe Lowe (UNCG) def. Joseph Son (Liberty) by technical fall; 15-0 in 5:00

184 ? Kane Smith (UNCG) def. Chris Daggett (Liberty) by decision; 6-2

197 ? Nick Clark (UNCG) def. Rory Bosek (Liberty) by major decision; 14-1

285 ? Joe Sheffield (UNCG) def. Patrick Walker (Liberty) by decision; 5-2

125 ? Jeff Hedges (UNCG) def. Christian Smith (Liberty) by decision; 8-7

133 ? Mitchell Johnson (UNCG) def. Sam Walters (Liberty) by decision; 6-4 in OT

 

 

 

 

The Citadel 22 Gardner-Webb 17

Charleston, S.C. ? The Citadel wrestling team won six of the 10 weight classes and received a fall from junior Levi Duyn at 149 pounds and a major decision from senior Travis Piccard at 157 pounds in defeating Gardner-Webb 22-17 on Wednesday night at McAlister Field House. The Bulldogs end the dual season with an overall record of 5-9.

 

“It’s been a tough year, but they wrestled well tonight,” head coach Rob Hjerling said. “Hopefully that will give us some momentum going into the Southern Conference Championships.”

 

The Citadel honored seniors Piccard and John Dickerson before the match. Piccard ended his dual career with a 10-2 major decision against Brendan Couture. Leading 6-2 after two periods, Piccard earned an escape point at the beginning of the third, and notched a two-point takedown in the closing seconds and added a point for riding-time advantage to secure the major decision. Dickerson lost a close 6-4 decision to Brandon Beach at 184 pounds to end his dual career. After Beach took a 6-3 lead on an escape point in the third period, Dickerson received a stalling point and closed the deficit to two. But Dickerson couldn’t make up the two-point difference in the closing seconds and Beach came away with the decision.

 

The match began with a victory by Bulldog freshman Tyler Sim at 125 pounds. With the bout tied at three after two periods, Sim notched a two-point reversal to take the lead for good in the third. Cortney Roberts earned a one-point escape later in the period, but it wasn’t enough as Sim won a 5-4 decision to give The Citadel an early 3-0 lead. Gardner-Webb won the next two bouts to take an 8-3 advantage as Rob Tate earned a 16-0 technical fall victory against freshman Matthew Leach at 133 pounds, and Chas Franz claimed a 12-6 decision over sophomore Matt Bullwinkel at 141 pounds.

 

Duyn put the Bulldogs ahead for good, however, with his 20th fall of the season. Leading 4-2 in the first period, Duyn quickly turned Ben Hoppenbrouwer and pinned him in 2:11 to give the Cadets a 9-8 lead. Piccard’s major decision made it a 13-8 lead for The Citadel.

 

Freshman Zachary Filter at 165 pounds and junior Darius Caldwell at 174 pounds extended the lead for the Bulldogs. Leading 3-2 after the first period, Filter notched a two-point reversal to take a 5-2 advantage over Matthias Piasecki into the third. Filter nearly came away with a pin as he earned three near fall points in the final period, but still earned an 8-2 decision against Piasecki. The bout between Caldwell and Chad Davis was scoreless heading into the third period. Caldwell notched the first points of the bout with an escape point at the beginning of the third, and added on two more points for a takedown and one point for riding-time advantage after an escape point by Davis to claim a 4-1 decision and make it a 19-8 Bulldog lead.

 

The victory by Beach and a fall of freshman Griffen Greene by Dustin Porter in 4:36 at 197 pounds pulled Gardner-Webb within two at 19-17. But junior John Buck secured the victory for The Citadel with a 6-2 decision over Nick Roehrick at 285 pounds. Buck earned a two-point takedown in the first period, added on a one-point escape in the second, and notched a two-point takedown in between two escape points by Roehrick to win the bout.

 

The grapplers will now prepare for the Southern Conference Championships in Raleigh, N.C. on March 3. All of the latest on Bulldog athletics is available at www.CitadelSports.com. 

 

The Citadel 22 Gardner-Webb 17

 

125 ? Sim (CIT) dec. Roberts, 5-4 (3-0)

 

133 ? Tate (GW) tech. fall Leach, 16-0 (3-5)

 

141 ? Franz (GW) dec. M. Bullwinkel, 12-6 (3-8)

 

149 ? Duyn (CIT) fall Hoppenbrouwer; 2:11 (9-8)

 

157 ? Piccard (CIT) maj. dec. Couture, 10-2 (13-8)

 

165 ? Filter (CIT) dec. Piasecki, 8-2 (16-8)

 

174 ? Caldwell (CIT) dec. Davis, 4-1 (19-8)

 

184 ? Beach (GW) dec. Dickerson, 6-4 (19-11)

 

197 ? Porter (GW) fall Greene; 4:36 (19-17)

 

285 ? Buck (CIT) dec. Roehrick, 6-2 (22-17)