The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team capped off the 2016-17 regular season with a 36-11 win over The Citadel today. The Mocs won seven of the 10 matches and posted three pins and two tech falls against The Bulldogs.
"You want to win all 10, but I am happy with our effort," stated UTC head coach Heath Eslinger. "We had a lot of guys wrestle well today. We have two big events coming up in the league championships and NCAAs, so hopefully we can carry this momentum forward."
Chattanooga ran out to a quick 12-0 lead after pins at 1125 and 133.
Sophomore Alonzo Allen scored his in the third period (6:08) over Patrick Kearney, while sophomore Chris Debien put Andrew Szalwinski on his back in the first period (1:33).
Debien improved to 14-9 overall and 7-0 in Southern Conference action while Allen moved to 14-11 and 6-1 in league matches.
Sophomore Chase Zemenak gave UTC a 16-0 lead with a major decision. He ends the league schedule with a 5-1 mark.
The Citadel won at 141 and 149 to close the team gap to 16-7. However, junior Justin Lampe extended the Mocs' lead to 22-7 with a pin just before the second period buzzer (4:59). He is 13-10 overall and 6-1 in league bouts.
Before the match, the Mocs honored six seniors in Austin Gould, Barrett Walthall, D.J. Franklin-Smith, Sean Mappes, Clay Dent and Jared Johnson. Mappes was the first of three to see the mat, scoring a tech fall at 174.
Junior Bryce Carr followed with a tech fall of his own at 184, but the Bulldogs scored a win at 197. Carr, ranked No. 19 in this week's polls, has a 22-4 overall record and 6-1 league mark heading into the postseason.
Johnson brought a No. 10 national ranking at heavyweight into today's match and scored a 9-0 major decision over Joe Bexley. That left the final score at 36-11 in favor of the Mocs.
"I am very proud of all of our seniors," added Eslinger. "They have meant so much to our program and have been outstanding representatives of this University throughout their careers."
UTC now has almost three weeks to prepare for the 2017 Southern Conference Tournament. The league championship is set for Saturday, March 4, at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C.
Chattanooga 36 – The Citadel 11
Sunday – Feb. 12, 2017 – Maclellan Gym – Chattanooga, Tenn.
125: Alonzo Allen (CHAT) over Charles Kearney (THCI) (Fall 6:08)
133: Chris Debien (CHAT) over Andrew Szalwinski (THCI) (Fall 1:33)
141: Chase Zemenak (CHAT) over Douglas Gudenburr (THCI) (MD 13-4)
149: Tyler Buckiso (THCI) over Roman Boylen (CHAT) (Dec 7-5)
157: Aaron Walker (THCI) over Dylanger Potter (CHAT) (MD 10-2)
165: Justin Lampe (CHAT) over Jason Carr (THCI) (Fall 4:59)
174: Sean Mappes (CHAT) over Martin Duane (THCI) (TF 18-0 3:58)
184: Bryce Carr (CHAT) over Chandler Sambets (THCI) (TF 18-3 2:09)
197: Sawyer Root (THCI) over Clay Dent (CHAT) (MD 13-1)
285: Jared Johnson (CHAT) over Joseph Bexley (THCI) (MD 9-0)