KEYDETS HAND DUKES 27-10 WRESTLING LOSS

 

HARRISONBURG, Va., Feb. 9, 2007 . Virginia Military Institute used a five-bout win streak

beginning at 149 pounds to score 20 unanswered points en route to a 27-10 win over James

Madison University in a wrestling dual match on Friday at Memorial Hall.

 

VMI improved to 5-5 in dual meets with the victory. JMU fell to 6-24 overall for the season.

The Keydets opened with a 13-8 decision at 125 pounds.

 

JMU redshirt junior Brandon Luce (Sidney, Ohio/Sidney) trailed junior Tyler Anthony, 3-0,

heading into the final period at 133 pounds. He came back with an escape and takedown,

then allowed Anthony the escape to trail 4-3. With 25 seconds left, Luce then recorded a

takedown and held the advantage as the clock expired to pull out the 5-4 win.

 

Freshman Jimmy Mitchum (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) came out strong at 141

pounds and took a commanding 13-0 lead for the Dukes heading into the third period.

Keydet freshman Brandon Franklin came back with three take downs in the final stanza, but

Mitchum held on for the 18-6 major decision to give JMU its first lead at 7-3.

 

VMI fired back with a major decision at 149 to tie the match at 7-7. Back-to-back decisions

at 157 and 165 put the Keydets on top 13-7. The Dukes appeared poised to close the

margin at 174 pounds with redshirt freshman Ivan Lagares (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge)

leading 13-6 when junior Dustin McCabe recorded the takedown and fall 4:10 into the

match.

 

The Dukes ended a streak of five straight Keydet wins at 197 pounds with JMU redshirt

junior Marcus Bartley (Fairfax, Va./Chantilly) controlling sophomore Kyle Elgert for a 7-4

decision.

 

VMI closed with a 17-3 major decision at heavyweight by senior Scott Buhman to clinch the

27-10 victory.

 

JMU will return to the mat on Saturday, Feb. 17 for its final home match at 4 p.m. against

Campbell in a Colonial Athletic Association match.

 

Virginia Military 27, James Madison 10

 

125 . Jonathan Pope (VMI) dec. Nhat Nguyen (JMU), 13-8, VMI leads 3-0

133 . Brandon Luce (JMU) dec. Tyler Anthony (VMI), 5-4, score tied 3-3

141 . Jimmy Mitchum (JMU) m. dec. Brandon Franklin (VMI) 19-6, JMU leads 7-3

149 . Sam Alvarenga (VMI) m. dec. Nick Broccoli (JMU), 12-3, score tied 7-7

157 . Tommy Cunningham (VMI) dec. Scott Yorko (JMU), 8-2, VMI leads 10-7

165 . John Burton (VMI) dec. Jeff Jacobs (JMU), 8-5, VMI leads 13-7

174 . Dustin McCabe (VMI) fall Ivan Lagares (JMU), 4:10, VMI leads 19-7

184 . Corry Murray (VMI) m. dec. Dan Rafeedie (JMU), 18-7, VMI leads 23-7

197 . Marcus Bartley (JMU) dec. Kyle Elgert (VMI), 8-4, VMI leads 23-10

285 . Scott Buhman (VMI) m. dec. Pat Finch (JMU), 17-3, VMI wins 27-10