CHARLESTON, S.C. – A series of late decisions by Marshall Haas and Joe Bexley helped lead The Citadel wrestling team to a 20-15 Southern Conference victory over Gardner-Webb on Wednesday evening at McAlister Field House.

Haas posted a 4-1 decision over Gardner-Webb's Boyce Cornwell in the 197-pound classification to provide the Bulldogs (4-3, 2-0 SoCon) with a slim 17-15 advantage.

Bexley followed with a 9-3 decision over fellow heavyweight Justin Kozera to secure The Citadel's third home dual victory of the season. The loss dropped Gardner-Webb to 3-4 overall and 1-1 in league action.

Joaquin Marquez opened action at 125 with a 6-2 decision over Cortez Starkes, earning his 15th victory of the season.

The Runnin' Bulldogs answered in the 133-pound bout with 2-1 decision by Tyler Ziegler, who narrowly defeated Aaron Hansen.

The Cadets regained the team lead, 6-3, following a 10-4 decision in the 141 ranks as Tyler Buckiso earned his third dual victory of the season by downing Ryan Hull.

Gardner-Webb's Ryan Mosley posted the first upset of the evening when he posted a 3-2 decision over Matt Frisch in the 149-pound division. That victory knotted the dual at 6-6 with six matches remaining.

The back-and-forth battle for supremacy continued as Aaron Walker (157) forged The Citadel in front by four points following a 13-5 major decision over GWU's Kyle Ash.

The Citadel's lead was brief however as Austin Trott (165), who was recently ranked 32nd on wrestlingreport.com, pinned R.J. Hicks at the 1:40 mark of the match. The Runnin' Bulldogs moved back in front by a two-point margin.

A 12-2 major decision by The Citadel's Kenneth Radford (174) over Christian Maroni again placed the Cadets back in front as a team.

Gardner-Webb posted its final points of the night in the 184-pound match featuring Hunter Gamble and Jack Duane. Gamble posted a 6-0 decision of the Dogs' redshirt senior.

The Bulldogs head to Boone, N.C., to take on Appalachian State in a SoCon dual on Jan. 18 at 2 p.m. Their next match at home will take place against SIUE at on Jan. 25 at 1 p.m.

Gardner-Webb returns to the mat on Friday evening, when the Runnin' Bulldogs host Chattanooga at 6 p.m. followed by an 8:30 matchup against North Carolina in Paul Porter Arena.

The Citadel 20, Gardner-Webb 15

125 – Joaquin Marquez (CIT) def. Cortez Starkes (GWU), 6-2
133 – Tyler Ziegler (GWU) def. Aaron Hansen (CIT), 2-1
141 – Tyler Buckiso (CIT) def. Ryan Hull (GWU), 10-4
149 – Ryan Mosley (GWU) def. Matt Frisch (CIT), 3-2
157 – Aaron Walker (CIT) maj. dec. Kyle Ash (GWU), 13-5
165 – Austin Trott (GWU) pinned R.J. Hicks (CIT), 1:40
174 – Kenneth Radford (CIT) maj. dec. Christian Maroni (GWU), 12-2
184 – Hunter Gamble (GWU) def. Jack Duane (CIT), 6-0
197 – Marshall Haas (CIT) def. Boyce Cornwell (GWU), 4-1
285 – Joe Bexley (CIT) def. Justin Kozera (GWU), 9-3