Mocs battling at NCAA tournament; Leen surges into semifinals

ST. LOUIS — The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga advanced three wrestlers to the fourth round of consolations, but all eyes at the NCAA wrestling tournament were on former Baylor standout Jordan Leen.

The four-time Tennessee state champion upset top-seeded Gregor Gillespie of Edinboro to advance to tonight’s championship semifinals.

Meanwhile, UTC had three wrestlers still alive in the consolation rounds. Cody Cleveland (141), Lloyd Rogers (174) and Matt Koz (197) advanced to the fourth round of consolations and will wrestle again later today.

Cleveland had to scramble in the last two periods to make up a nine-point deficit but rallied to advance to the fourth round of consolation matches. The sophomore defeated Oklahoma’s Zach Bailey 15-13 with a takedown in the first sudden-victory period.

An early lead, three takedowns and an escape and a riding time point lifted Rogers over Iowa State’s Aron Brown.

Koz fought to a scoreless first-period draw and then got an escape and takedown in the second. He rode Oklahoma’s Joel Flaggert out in the final period for a riding-time point and the win. It avenged a regular-season loss to Flaggert in the teams’ dual meet on Jan. 18.

All-America hopes for Javier Maldonado when the 125-pound senior lost to North Dakota State’s Eric Hoffman.

Maldonado was ahead 2-1 at the end of the first period but gave up a takedown and two-point near-fall off one of his own shots in the second. He tied the match at 6 but had to cut Hoffman to start the third period. He got a takedown and cut Hoffman again but then was stalemated on another shot before giving up a late takedown.

Cleveland, who beat Bailey by major decision in the teams’ dual meet on Jan. 18, fell behind 9-0 on a quick takedown and three consecutive near-falls. He rallied in the final two periods with a flurry of takedowns, reversals and near-falls to tie the match and then got the overtime takedown to advance.

Seth Garvin lost to Indiana’s Brandon Becker 10-0. He gave up a five-point move in the first period and never recovered.

Former McCallie wrestler Spencer Manley lost in the third round of consolations. Wrestling for Navy, Manley fell 4-0 to Oklahoma State’s Newly McSpadden.

Read Saturday’s Times Free Press for more on the Mocs at the NCAA national tournament.