Bonus points cost the No. 20 Chattanooga Mocs in an 18-17 loss to North Carolina this afternoon. UTC split the 10 matches with the Tar Heels, but gave up three extra points while only scoring two of their own. Chattanooga drops to 3-2 overall while UNC improves to 2-2.
The dual match started at 197 with sophomore Scottie Boykin going up against Chip Ness. Boykin scored a takedown in the final frame to post a 6-4 win. It was the first of three wins for the Mocs to open the match.
Sophomore Jared Johnson rode Frank Abbondanza out in the third for a 2-0 win at heavyweight. Senior Sean Boyle, ranked No.
19 at 125 this week, put the Mocs up 11-0 with a 21-5 tech fall against Cody Karns.
The momentum of the match swung at 133 when Matt Williams logged a 7-5 upset over the Mocs 14th-ranked senior Nick Soto. Williams scored two nearfall points in the third period for the win. The Tar Heels made it 11-6 in the team score when No. 14 Joey Ward defeated sophomore Michael Pongracz 10-4.
UTC took back control of the match with wins at 149 and 157. Senior Shawn Greevy escaped in the third and held off Christian Barber for a 6-5 win at 149. Junior Austin Sams had a big win over Chris Mears at 157. His first period takedown held up for most of the match and he added another as time expired for the 5-2 victory.
Trailing 17-6, Carolina won the next three matches, including a tech fall at 165 and a major decision at 184, erase the deficit and steal the team win.
Chattanooga is back on the road next weekend at Old Dominion. Match time is set for 2:00 p.m. in Norfolk, Va., on Saturday, Dec. 20. Check the wrestling schedule page on GoMocs.com for any live coverage or follow the Mocs on Twitter @utcwrestling.
Tickets for the 2015 Defense Soap & Flips Wrestling Southern Scuffle are on sale now on GoMocs.com. Hailed as the top in-season collegiate tournament in collegiate wrestling, the Southern Scuffle is held Jan. 1-2 at Chattanooga’s McKenzie Arena.
North Carolina (2-2) 18 - No. 20 Chattanooga (3-2) – 17
197: Scottie Boykin (UTC) – Dec. 6-4 - Chip Ness (UNC) – UTC 3-0
285: Jared Johnson (UTC) – Dec. 2-0 - Frank Abbondanza (UNC) – UTC 6-0
125: No. 19 Sean Boyle (UTC) – TF 21-5 (6:13) - Cody Karns (UNC) – UTC 11-0
133: Matt Williams (UNC) – Dec. 7-5 - No. 14 Nick Soto (UTC) – UTC 11-3
141: No. 14 Joey Ward (UNC) – Dec. 10-4 - Michael Pongracz (UTC) – UTC 11-6
149: Sean Greevy (UTC) – Dec. 6-5 - Christian Barber (UNC) – UTC 14-6
157: Austin Sams (UTC) – Dec. 5-2 – Chris Mears (UNC) – UTC 17-6
165: Ethan Ramos (UNC) – TF 24-8 (6:54) - Garrett Alexander (UTC) – UTC 17-11
174: John Michael Staudenmayer (UNC) – Dec. 6-1 - Levi Clemons (UTC) – UTC 17-14
184: Alex Utley (UNC) – MD 11-0 - Sean Mappes (UTC) – UNC 18-17