Chattanooga sweeps, VMI splits, SIUE swept

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team clinched at least a share of the Southern Conference regular-season championship with a pair of league wins in Maclellan Gym on Saturday. The Mocs won 18 of 20 matches to defeat SIUE 40-3 and VMI 36-3. VMI downed SIUE 32-12.

UTC improved to 10-6 overall and 6-0 in SoCon action with Saturday's wins. VMI moved to 2-15 overall and 2-5 in the league, while SIUE fell to 5-19 overall and 1-6 in SoCon action.

Chattanooga will host Campbell (7-9, 5-1 SoCon) on Monday at 6 p.m. in Maclellan Gym with a chance to win its 27th SoCon championship since joining the league in 1978.

VMI and SIUE opened the tri-meet at 10 a.m. with the Keydets taking a 32-12 win. The affair was close early as VMI picked up six points on a forfeit at 125 pounds, but SIUE countered with Patrick Myers’ first-period pin of Andriy Onufriyenko at 133 to even the score.

VMI senior Ryan Goodsell cracked the match open at 141 pounds, needing a 10-8 sudden victory over Dillon Pousson to grab a valuable three points for VMI. The next four weight classes were VMI’s from the start as Zeb Stewart won 7-0 at 149 pounds, Ted Gottwald claimed a 2-0 decision at 157 pounds, Mark Darr winning by technical fall, 15-0 and John Dommert narrowly escaped with a 2-0 victory. Urayoan Garcia snagged a win by fall in the waning moments of his 197-pound bout, sticking Josh Wood in 6:23 for VMI’s final points of the match.

SIUE’s David Devine picked up the Cougars’ only other win at heavyweight, pinning Michael LaPrade in 1:36.

The Mocs then ran through the Cougars in the noon match. Seniors Josh Condon and Robert Prigmore both posted pins against the Cougars. Devine had SIUE’s lone win against Chattanooga, earning a 5-4 decision over Kevin Malone.

Condon also scored a fall in the win over VMI in the final dual of the day. He has scored 36 points in six SoCon matches this season, recording five pins and a forfeit in league action. He improved to 8-4 overall with his two wins today.

Senior Dean Pavlou and juniors Alex Hudson and Niko Brown also scored bonus points in the SIUE match, while sophomore Nick Soto scored six points in a walkover.

Brown also had a pin in the VMI match, upping his record 26-3 on the year. He came into the match ranked No. 18 in the nation at 197 and is still undefeated in duals at 14-0. Soto scored a tech fall against VMI and ups his overall mark to 24-6. He is currently ranked No. 17 in the country at 125.

VMI’s Onufriyenko picked up the Keydets’ lone points against the Mocs with a 9-8 decision at 133.

UTC freshman Alex Ward got in the lineup at 133 against SIUE. He scored a 5-3 decision over Myers in the win. Sophomore Trey Stavrum and freshman John Lampe also had a pair of wins Saturday.

Saturday’s action wrapped up the dual slates for VMI and SIUE. They are next in action at the SoCon Championship in Lexington, Va., on March 9.

VMI 32, SIUE 12
125: Armondo Herrera-Dos Reis (VMI) Forfeit (SIUE) - VMI 6-0
133: Patrick Myers (SIUE) - Fall 1:28 - Andriy Onufriyenko (VMI) - VMI 6-6
141: Ryan Goodsell (VMI) - Dec. 10-8 (SV) - Dillon Pousson (SIUE) - VMI 9-6
149: Zeb Stewart (VMI) - Dec. 7-0 - Brandon Brindley (SIUE) - VMI 12-6
157: Edward Gottwald (VMI) - Dec. 2-0 - Kyle Lowman (SIUE) - VMI 15-6
165: Mark Darr (VMI) - TF 5:46 (15-0) - Adam Osmoe (SIUE) - VMI 20-6
174: John Dommert (VMI) - Dec. 2-0 - Jake Residori (SIUE) - VMI 23-6
184: Conor Black (VMI) - Dec. 3-2 - Deshoun White (SIUE) - VMI 26-6
197: Urayoan Garcia (VMI) - Fall 6:23 - Josh Wood (SIUE) - VMI 32-6
285: David Devine (SIUE) - Fall 1:36 - Michael LaPrade (VMI) - VMI 32-12

Chattanooga 40, SIUE 3
125: Nick Soto (UTC) - Forfeit (SIUE) - UTC 6-0
133: Alex Ward (UTC) - Dec. 5-3 - Patrick Myers (SIUE) - UTC 9-0
141: Dean Pavlou (UTC) - MD 18-4 - Dillon Pousson (SIUE) - UTC 13-0
149: Alex Hudson (UTC) - TF 16-0 (4:35) - Brandon Brindley (SIUE) - UTC 18-0
157: Trey Stavrum (UTC) - Dec. 6-3 - Kyle Lowman (SIUE) - UTC 21-0
165: Josh Condon (UTC) - Fall 3:45 - Adam Osmoe (SIUE) - UTC 27-0
174: John Lampe (UTC) - Dec. 3-1 - Jake Residori (SIUE) - UTC 30-0
184: Robert Prigmore (UTC) - Fall 6:08 - Deshoun White (SIUE) - UTC 36-0
197: Niko Brown (UTC) - MD 14-6 - Josh Wood (SIUE) - UTC 40-0
285: David Devine (SIUE) - Dec. 5-4 - Kevin Malone (UTC) - UTC 40-3

Chattanooga 36, VMI 3
125: Nick Soto (UTC) - TF 18-3 (5:33) - Armondo Herrera-Dos Reis (VMI) - UTC 5-0
133: Andriy Onufriyenko (VMI) - Dec. 9-8 - Marvin Lopez (UTC) - UTC 5-3
141: Dean Pavlou (UTC) - Dec 6-3 - Ryan Goodsell (VMI) - UTC 8-3
149: Alex Hudson (UTC) - MD 10-0 - Zeb Stewart (VMI) - UTC 12-3
157: Trey Stavrum (UTC) - Dec. 8-5 - Edward Gottwald (VMI) - UTC 15-3
165: Josh Condon (UTC) - Fall 5:43 - Mark Darr (VMI) - UTC 21-3
174: John Lampe (UTC) - Dec. 6-3 - John Dommert (VMI) - UTC 24-3
184: Robert Prigmore (UTC) - Dec. 3-0 - Jonathan Jones (VMI) - UTC 27-3
197: Niko Brown (UTC) - Fall 4:41 - Urayoan Garcia (VMI) - UTC 33-6
285: Kevin Malone (UTC) - Dec. 3-0 - Michael LaPrade (VMI) - UTC 36-3