The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team tied the No. 17 Appalachian State Mountaineers on the scoreboard (16-16), but lost the match on criteria (55-54), in Boone, N.C. today. Officially, it goes down as a 17-16 loss, but the Mocs hung tough with a strong App. State side.
Both teams won five individual matches and each scored one bonus point in Southern Conference action. Total weight classes won is the first criteria and since that was even, it went to total match points when all individual weight classes are added up.
That favored Appalachian State by a single point, 55-54.
"We are certainly disappointed with the results, but it was outstanding collegiate dual," stated UTC head Coach Heath Eslinger. "We had some guys step up in a number of places and I am proud of the effort we showed throughout the match."
The Mocs moved to 6-9 overall and 4-2 in league duals. ASU improved to 6-0, clinching the SoCon regular season title, and 12-2 overall. For Coach Eslinger, it was just his fourth SoCon loss in eight years at UTC.
This is the second-straight affair involving these two teams to go down to the wire. App. State won last year's SoCon Tournament by a ½-point over the Mocs.
The day opened at heavyweight in a rematch of last year's SoCon final. UTC senior No. 9 Jared Johnson lost to ASU senior No. 13 Denzel Dejournette 10-4. The Mountaineers went up 7-0 when senior Vito Pasone posted a 15-4 major decision over sophomore Alonzo Allen.
Chattanooga battled back with wins at 133 and 141 by sophomores Chris Debien and Chase Zemenak. The Mountaineers answered with three-straight wins to build a 16-6 lead.
Senior Sean Mappes took the mat against junior Nick Kee in another rematch from last year's SoCon finals. Mappes scored his first win over Kee in three tries with an impressive 17-7 major decision.
That win gave UTC a chance, closing the gap to 16-10 with two matches left. No. 19 junior Bryce Carr stepped up with a 9-4 decision over David Peters-Logue 184. Senior Clay Dent tied the match with his 5-1 decision against sophomore Randall Diabe at 197.
"That was a huge win for Clay," added Eslinger. "Mappes also had a big one and so did Chris Debien. You can see that we are getting better each time out. We have one more dual to prepare for and then get ready for the Southern Conference Tournament."
The Mocs move on to host The Citadel for Senior Day on Sunday Feb. 12. Action starts at 2:00 p.m. in Maclellan Gym.
No. 17 Appalachian State 16 – Chattanooga 16
Boone, N.C.
ASU wins 16-16 (55-54 tiebreaker) - Tie breaker was total match points for each team.
285: No. 13 Denzel Dejournette (APP) def. No. 9 Jared Johnson (UTC), 10-4 dec.
125: Vito Pasone (APP) Alonzo Allen (UTC), 15-4 maj. dec. - 7-0
133: Chris Debien (UTC) def. #21 Colby Smith (APP), 2-1 dec. - 7-3
141: Chase Zemenak (UTC) def. Irvin Enriquez (APP), 8-5 dec. - 7-6
149: Matt Zovistoski (APP) def. Roman Boylen (UTC), 7-3 dec. - 10-6
157: Gavin Londoff (APP) def. Dylanger Potter (UTC), 3-1 dec. - 13-6
165: Forrest Przybysz (APP) def. Justin Lampe (UTC), 2-0 dec. - 16-6
174: Sean Mappes (UTC) def. #17 Nick Kee (APP), 17-7 maj. dec. - 16-10
184: No. 19 Bryce Carr (UTC) def. #30 David Peters-Logue (APP), 9-4 dec. - 16-13
197: Clay Dent (UTC) def. Randall Diabe (APP), 5-1 dec. - 16-16