Chattanooga wraps up at least share of SoCon title
DAVIDSON, N.C. – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team wrapped up at least a share of another Southern Conference regular-season title with a 37-9 win at Davidson on Sunday. The Mocs rested a number of starters and only dropped one contested match to improve to 15-5 overall and 6-0 in SoCon action.
Davidson forfeited at three weights, which gave the Mocs a chance to rest junior Nick Soto at 133 without having to field a backup. Sophomore Austin Sams (149) and freshmen Michael Pongracz (141) and Dawson Peck (285) were the only regulars to see the mat. Sams dropped a 10-5 decision to Kevin Birmingham. Pongracz and Peck both scored bonus points with a major decision and a pin, respectively.
Freshman Kevin Cooper improved to 8-6 overall with an 8-3 decision over Patrick Devlin at 165. Fellow freshman Michael Hooker posted an 8-4 win over Nathaniel Powers to move to 10-11 on the season. Both were competing up two weight classes but still pulled out convincing wins.
Freshman Jared Johnson also came off the bench to score a win. He shut out Michael Moore 6-0 at 197 to even his season mark at 4-4.
Chattanooga is now 23-0 all-time against the Wildcats. UTC has won 14 straight SoCon matches and is 28-1 in league duals in the Heath Eslinger era. This is also the eighth straight dual win for Chattanooga.
This is the 13th time the Mocs have won or tied for the SoCon regular-season title since the league started recognizing a season winner in 1994. UTC has won the SoCon tournament 27 times since joining the league in 1978, including each of the last three.
Chattanooga can win the SoCon outright with a victory at VMI on Feb. 23. Before that, the Mocs have a big trip on tap to the NWCA National Duals on Feb. 26. Those matches will take place in Columbus, Ohio.
Davidson will hit the road to close out the regular season, traveling to Boone, N.C., to face in-state foe Appalachian State on Feb. 16 at 1 p.m.
No. 19 Chattanooga 37, Davidson 9
125: Byron Smith (UTC) won by forfeit – UTC 6-0
133: Anthony Elias (Davidson) won by forfeit – Tied 6-6
141: Mike Pongracz (UTC) - MD 9-1 - James McCord (Davidson) – UTC 10-6
149: Kevin Birmingham (Davidson) – Dec. 10-4 - Austin Sams (UTC) – UTC 10-9
157: Alex Hudson (UTC) won by forfeit – UTC 16-9
165: Kevin Cooper (UTC) – Dec. 8-3 - Patrick Devlin (Davidson) – UTC 19-9
174: Michael Hooker (UTC) – Dec. 8-4 - Nathaniel Powers (Davidson) – UTC 22-9
184: John Lampe (UTC) won by forfeit – UTC 28-9
197: Jared Johnson (UTC) – Dec. 6-0 - Michael Moore (Davidson) – UTC 31-9
285: Dawson Peck (UTC) – Fall 1:48 - Eddie Isola (Davidson) – UTC 37-9
The Citadel tops VMI
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel wrestling team used two technical falls, four major decisions and three decisions en route to a convincing 35-3 win over Southern Conference foe VMI at McAlister Field House on Sunday.
The win improved The Citadel to 7-3 overall and 4-1 in Southern Conference action, while VMI dropped to 3-14 overall with a 1-5 league mark.
The Bulldogs have won four straight duals and outscored their conference opponents 131-63 this season, with their only league loss coming against No. 19 Chattanooga back on Jan. 22.
Joaquin Marquez opened the match with his 22nd win of the season at 125 pounds, earning the 5-2 decision over VMI's Dalton Henderson.
Hansen and 15th-ranked Ugi Khishignyam followed up Marquez's performance with two major decision wins to improve the Bulldogs' score to 11-0.
The win was Hansen's 15th of the season, while Khishignyam improved to 15-3 overall and 5-0 in conference action. The Mongolia native continued his SoCon dominance at 141, as he remains unscathed in league duals with a perfect 11-0 record.
Frisch won his 50th career bout with a 5-1 decision over Shabaka Johns, which was followed up by Aaron Walker's 6-2 win over Ted Gottwald.
Walker has won 12 straight matches dating back to Jan. 1 at the Southern Scuffle and improved his record to 24-7 on the season.
At 165, No. 8 Turtogtokh Luvsandorj continued his winning ways with a 16-8 major decision over Mark Darr to improve to 29-5 on the year. Luvsandorj has 124 career wins and sits one shy of tying the school record held by Odie Delaney (2013) and Sean Markey (2006).
Kenneth Radford and Jack Duane added five points apiece to the Bulldog scoreboard with technical falls at 174 and 184, respectively, stretching the lead to 31-0 with two bouts left.
Haas' dominant performance at 197 gave the Bulldogs four more points courtesy of a 10-1 major decision and The Citadel lead grew to 35-0 heading into the heavyweight bout.
A 3-0 win by VMI's Juan Adams over Joe Bexley put the Keydets on the board but The Citadel secured its eighth consecutive win over VMI.
The Citadel will look to avenge a 25-13 loss to Campbell last season when it heads to Buies Creek, N.C., for a 7 p.m. match against the Fighting Camels on Thursday.
The Bulldogs conclude their home dual slate next Sunday, Feb. 16, when they face off against Duke (2 p.m.) and North Carolina (4 p.m.) at McAlister Field House.
VMI is on the road for its next match when it travels to Lewisburg, Pa., on Saturday. Action is set for 2 p.m. at Bucknell University’s Davis Gymnasium.
The Citadel 35, VMI 3
125 – Joaquin Marquez (CIT) decision over Dalton Henderson, 5-2 – 3-0
133 – Aaron Hansen (CIT) major decision over Mike Flora – 7-0
141 – #15 Ugi Khishignyam (CIT) major decision over Emmitt Kelly, 15-6– 11-0
149 – Matt Frisch (CIT) decision over Shabaka Johns, 5-1 – 14-0
157 – Aaron Walker (CIT) decision over Ed Gottwald, 6-2 – 17-0
165 – #8 Turtogtokh Luvsandorj (CIT) major decision over Mark Darr, 16-8 – 21-0
174 – Kenneth Radford (CIT) technical fall over Jake Koch, 20-5 at 7:00 – 26-0
184 – Jack Duane (CIT) technical fall over Hardy Hendren, 16-1 at 4:01 – 31-0
197 – Marshall Haas (CIT) major decision over Andrew Embree, 10-1 – 35-0
HWT – Juan Adams (VMI) decision over Joe Bexley, 3-0 – 35-3
SIUE drops three matches Sunday
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Matt Lester and David Devine collected three victories each for SIUE in dual matches Sunday at the Vadalabene Center. As a team, SIUE finished 0-3 for the day, dropping a 27-12 match to Buffalo, a 24-13 match to Eastern Michigan and a 33-6 match to Grand Canyon.
SIUE holds a 3-13 overall record.
After dropping the lower weights to Buffalo, SIUE dominated the upper weights by winning four of five matches.
Lester topped Tyler Rill at 165 pounds 7-3. Jake Residori collected the first of his two victories on the day with a convincing 11-5 win over Jarred Lux at 174 pounds.
Josh Wood, making his home debut for the season, bested Angelo Malvestuto 7-4 at 197 pounds. Devine overpowered James Benjamin 12-5 at 285 pounds.
SIUE won four of the 10 matches against Eastern Michigan. Karsten Van Velsor provided the highest-scoring match of the day with a 13-10 win at 149 pounds over EMU's Chris Rau.
Lester and Devine were the only wrestlers to pick up wins against Grand Canyon in the day's final dual.
Buffalo 27, SIUE 12
125 - Max Soria (Buffalo) pinned Dakota Leach (SIUE) 1:56
133 - Justin Farmer (Buffalo) def. John Petrov (SIUE) 5-1
141 - Nick Flannery (Buffalo) won by pin over Brandon Brindley (SIUE) 3:53
149 - Ryan Todora (Buffalo) def. Karsten Van Velsor (SIUE) 5-1
157 - Wally Maziarz (Buffalo) won by pin over Lucas Volpe (SIUE) 2:57
165 - Matt Lester (SIUE) def. Tyler Rill (Buffalo) 7-3
174 - Jake Residori (SIUE) def. Jarred Lux (Buffalo) 11-5
184 - Anthony Lock (Buffalo) def. Deshoun White (SIUE) 5-2
197 - Josh Wood (SIUE) def. Angelo Malvestuto (Buffalo) 7-4
285 - David Devine (SIUE) def. James Benjamin (Buffalo) 12-5
Eastern Michigan 24, SIUE 13
125 - Jared Germaine (EMU) def. Dakota Leach (SIUE) 10-4
133 - Vincent Pizzuto (EMU) def. John Petrov (SIUE) 12-3
141 - Nick Barber (EMU) def. Brandon Brindley (SIUE) 14-3
149 - Karsten Van Velsor (SIUE) def. Chris Rau (EMU) 13-10
157 - James Klosz (EMU) pinned Lucas Volpe (SIUE) 3:36
165 - Matthew Lester (SIUE) def. Dean Vettese (EMU) 9-0
174 - Jake Residori (SIUE) def. Jacob Davis (EMU) 7-5
184 - Phillip Joseph (EMU) def. Derek Nagel (SIUE) 12-2
197 - Anthony Abro (EMU) def. Josh Wood (SIUE) 11-4
285 - David Devine (SIUE) won in sudden victory 1 over Khodar Hoballah (EMU) 4-2
Grand Canyon 33, SIUE 6
125 - AJ Alazar (GCU) def. Dakota Leach (SIUE) 7-0
133 - Lino Estrada (GCU) def. John Petrov (SIUE) 5-1
141 - Zach Zehner (GCU) pinned Brandon Brindley (SIUE) 6:08
149 - Michael Hamel (GCU) def. Karsten Van Velsor (SIUE) 12-3
157 - Bryant Wood (GCU) def. Lucas Volpe (SIUE) 13-0
165 - Matt Lester (SIUE) def. Juan Carlos Maynes (GCU) 2-0
174 - Martin Fabbian (GCU) pinned Jake Residori (SIUE) 3:25
184 - Austin Gaun (GCU) def. Deshoun White (SIUE) 11-1
197 - Marcus Haughian (GCU) def. Chris Johnson (SIUE) 2-0
285 - David Devine (SIUE) def. Peter Anguiano (GCU) 3-2