The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team posted a strong 37-3 non-conference win over visiting Cleveland State today. The Mocs won nine of ten matches, scoring bonus points in five of the nine victories, to improve to 4-3 overall.
Chattanooga was looking to avoid a letdown after a seventh-place showing at the Southern Scuffle earlier in the week. Starting at 141, those concerns were quickly alleviated with two bonus-point wins in the first two matches.
Sophomore Shawn Greevy (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) fought his way out of a mini-slump with a 10-0 major decision over Josh Palivoda. Greevy snaps a five-match losing streak and improves to 6-8 on the season.
Senior Kelly Felix (Franklin, Tenn.) also bounced back from a disappointing 1-2 record at the Scuffle with an 18-2 technical fall (6:34) against Mike Mencini at 159. Felix improves to 8-6 overall and 5-2 in dual matches.
"We are starting the stretch that matters and we are coming off a pretty emotional weekend with the Southern Scuffle just being in town," stated Mocs head coach Heath Eslinger. "I was concerned today that we wouldn't come out and put our best foot forward, but the guys did a good job winning nine out of ten matches and that is what we wanted."
Chattanooga kept the momentum going with a pair of tough, low-scoring wins at 157 and 165. Senior Dan Waddell (Chattanooga, Tenn.) posted a 2-0 victory at 157 while fellow senior Brandon Wright (Germantown, Tenn.) flowed up with a 4-2 decision at 165.
Sophomore Levi Clemons (Kissimmee, Fla.) got the crowd of 293 going with a pin at 174. It was his first dual win of the season as he evens his overall record to 10-10. It was also the first home dual win of his career.
Junior Robert Prigmore (Southlake, Texas) put UTC up 24-0 with his 3-1 decision over Corbin Boone at 184. Prigmore used a takedown early in the first sudden-death overtime period to score his 11th win of the year.
Junior Niko Brown (Kissimmee, Fla.) secured the team victory with an 18-5 major decision over Nick Anthony at 197. Freshman Kevin Malone (Carrollton, Ohio) posted his second-straight pin over Garry Yarborough (5:45). He also fell Yarborough at the Scuffle.
"We continue to get better and I think we continue to appreciate each other as a team," added Eslinger. "At this point we have to keep guys injury free. We have to keep getting better at the positions we need to work on and finish strong through March."
The Vikings' lone win came at 125 when Ben Willeford defeated freshman Blake Thomas 4-2. That decision gave CSU its only team points on the day.
The marquis match was at 133 and lived up to its billing. Chattanooga freshman Nick Soto (Spring Hill, Fla.) put his newly acquired No. 14 national ranking up against Nick Flannery who had just placed seventh at the Southern Scuffle.
Soto jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead with a takedown and three back points. Flannery countered with a reversal at the buzzer to close the gap to 5-2 after the first period. Soto built a 9-3 lead in the second with a reversal and a takedown, but Flannery again closed the period with an escape and a takedown to move the score to 9-6 after five minutes of action.
The third period saw Flannery tie the score at nine with 30 second left in the match. However, Soto scored a reversal and added the riding time for the 12-9 win. Soto improves to 14-4 overall and 5-2 in dual matches.
"That was good for Nick to be in a tight match," said Eslinger. "(Flannery) placed in the Southern Scuffle and he is a tough competitor and a very good wrestler. Nick needed to be in a match like that. You have to win matches like that to be an All-American in this sport. He continues to prove that he can win those matches and I am excited to watch him go the rest of the year."
The Mocs are back in action next weekend when they travel to Dallas, Texas, for the Lonestar Duals. Action will take place on Saturday, Jan. 14, with UTC slated to face Air Force, Utah Valley, Brown and Wayland Baptist. That will be the start of a four-week road swing for Chattanooga. The next home match is Senior Day against Appalachian State on Sunday, Feb. 5, at 2:00 p.m. (E.S.T.) in Maclellan Gym.
Chattanooga 37 - Cleveland State 3
141: Shawn Greevy (UTC) - MD 10-0 - Josh Palivoda (CSU) - UTC 4-0
149: Kelly Felix (UTC) - TF 18-2 (6:34) - Mike Mencini (CSU) - UTC 9-0
157: Dan Waddell (UTC) - Dec. 4-2 - Brandon Sommers (CSU) - UTC 12-0
165: Brandon Wright (UTC) - Dec. 2-0 - Corey Carlo (CSU) - UTC 15-0
174: Levi Clemons (UTC) - Fall 4:28 - Aric Thurn (CSU) - UTC 21-0
184: Robert Prigmore (UTC) - Dec. 3-1 (OT) - Corbin Boone (CSU) - UTC 24-0
197: Niko Brown (UTC) - MD 18 - 5 - Nick Anthony (CSU) - UTC 28-0
285: Kevin Malone (UTC) - Fall 5:45 - Garry Yarborough (CSU) - UTC 34-0
125: Ben Willeford (CSU) - Dec. 4-2 - Blake Thomas (UTC) - UTC 34-3
133: No. 14 Nick Soto (UTC) - Dec. 12-9 - Nick Flannery (CSU) - UTC 37-3
