Campbell 27, VMI 15
LEXINGTON, Va. - In a back and forth match, the VMI Keydets wrestling team suffered its first dual match loss of the season, dropping a 27-15 decision to Campbell University Friday night.
The match served as the first-ever conference meeting between the two teams, who have met on nine previous occasions. VMI is now 8-2- all-time against Campbell since 1978-79 when the Institute added scholarships for wrestling. It was the Keydets (1-1, 0-1 SoCon) first loss to Campbell since 2000-01.
"It was a really hard-fought match, there were a lot of one point, two point matches and hats off to Campbell, they won those matches," said VMI head coach John Trudgeon. "We have to find a way to turn that around, and I really think we can. We fought hard, most of the time our third periods were better than our first periods."
Four of the night's 10 bouts were decided by three or few points, including two by one point and an overtime match to kick off the evening.
At 141 pounds, the starting weight class for the match, Zeb Stewart put VMI up 3-0 after winning 9-7 in overtime. Stewart went down 7-1 in the first period, but battled back to force the extra period. Stewart wasted no time in the extra period, taking down Jordan Tolbert in the first 20 seconds of overtime.
Campbell jumped out to a 5-3 lead after earning a technical fall at 149 pounds, but the lead was short lived as the Keydets picked up six points at 157 pounds after Campbell forfeited the weight class. The Camels (5-4, 2-0 SoCon) got a pair of back-to-back 4-3 decisions at 165 and 174 pounds, grabbing an 11-9 lead.
Once again however, the Keydets got the lead back, this time at 184 pounds as Conor Black recorded VMI's first dual match pin of the season, putting TeShaun Johnson on his back in the third period. The six points gave the Keydets a 15-11 lead.
But the Camels claimed victory in the final four weight classes of the night as the Keydets suffered a major decision at 197-pounds and two decisions at heavyweight and 133 pounds. VMI also forfeited 125 pounds to make the final score 27-15.
"We're on to really important stuff next week. We have final examinations, so tonight was it before finals," said Trudgeon. The Keydets will be idle until Dec. 29 when they head to Lock Haven, Pa. to take part in the Mat Town USA Invitational, hosted by Lock Haven University.
Ohio 20, Appalachian State 15
ATHENS, Ohio - Despite splitting the day's bouts, Appalachian State wrestling was unable to recover from a 16-0 deficit as the Mountaineers fell, 20-15, to Ohio University on Saturday at the OU Convocation Center. For ASU (3-2, 1-0 SoCon), the match was their second straight non-conference loss, while the Bobcats (1-2, 0-2 MAC) earned their first win of the 2011-12 campaign.
The day started at 197 pounds, as Ohio's Beau Wenger notched the day's first decision, and No. 5 Jeremy Johnson followed with a major to give the Bobcats a 7-0 lead.
As the bouts rolled over to the lightweights, Gabe Ramos and Jake Wojcik picked up a pin and decision, respectively to give the Bobcats a daunting 16-0 advantage.
The Mountaineers were not to be dismissed quietly, as Appalachian's corps of seniors rolled off four straight victories with Mike Kessler (Bay City, Mich./Western), Savva Kostis (Boone, N.C./Watauga), Chip Powell (Greensboro, N.C./S.W. Guilford) and No. 13 Kyle Blevins (Sapulpa, Okla./Sapulpa) earning decisions to cut the gap to 16-12 with two bouts remaining.
Facing an uphill battle, ASU's Carter Downs (Jupiter, Fla./Jupiter Christian) was unable to overcome No. 13 Nick Purdue at 174 pounds, and the Bobcat's major decision iced the match at 20-12.
In the afternoon's final bout, No. 11 Austin Trotman (Winston-Salem, N.C./Mount Tabor) triumphed for the Mountaineers, closing the day with a 10-5 decision, for a 20-15 final score in favor of Ohio.
The win continues Ohio's undefeated record against the Mountaineers, as the Bobcats have won all eight meetings dating back to 1995-96.
Saturday's match was Appalachian State's final dual of the 2011 calendar year. ASU will close out December with a trip to the Reno Tournament of Champions on Sunday, Dec. 18 and head to the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn. on New Year's Day.
Ohio (1-2) 20, Appalachian State (3-2) 15
December 10, 2011 | Athens, Ohio | Convocation Center
197: Beau Wenger dec. Paul Weiss, 9-3 OU 3, ASU 0
285: No. 5 Jeremy Johnson maj. dec. Brock Durfee, 13-3 OU 7, ASU 0
125: Gabe Ramos pinned Tony Gravely, 3:37 OU 13, ASU 0
133: Jake Wojcik dec. Brett Boston, 7-6 OU 16, ASU 0
141: Mike Kessler dec. Darring Boing, 3-2 OU 16, ASU 3
149: Savva Kostis dec. Gavin Moore, 10-4 OU 16, ASU 6
157: Chip Powell dec. Harrison Hightower, 5-1 OU 16, ASU 9
165: No. 13 Kyle Blevins dec. Miles Chapman, 7-0 OU 16, ASU 12
174: No. 13 Nick Purdue maj. dec. Carter Downs, 10-2 OU 20, ASU 12
184: No. 11 Austin Trotman dec. Ryan Garringer, 10-5 OU 20, ASU 15
Indianapolis 33, SIUE 15
Northwestern 43, SIUE 3
CHICAGO, Ill. - Josh Wood was SIUE's only two-time winner Sunday in the Cougars' losses to Indianapolis and Northwestern. \
The 197-pounder won his opening match over Indianapolis' Kevin Gaughan with a pin in 2:00. He later decisioned Northwestern's John Schoen 5-3.
Indianapolis defeated SIUE 33-15 while Northwestern downed SIUE 43-3.
SIUE's only other individual win Sunday was Dillon Pousson's 8-3 victory over Austin Chamberlain of Indianapolis at 149 pounds.
SIUE, 0-5, is home for its first dual meets of the season in Edwardsville. The Cougars face off against Truman and Purdue next Sunday at the SIUE Fitness Center.