The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga posted a 4-0 record at the Lone Star Duals Saturday to boost its dual wrestling meet record to 8-3.
"It was a good performance. We won the close matches. We got things done as a team. Our goal was to go 4-0 and we did it," Mocs coach Heath Eslinger said Saturday evening as the team began a 12-hour charter bus ride home from Grand Prairie, Texas. "Even better, we did it and left injury-free, which is big this time of the year.
"We have some areas where we definitely want to get better."
The Mocs defeated Air Force 28-7, Utah Valley 27-7, Brown 36-3 and Wayland Baptist 46-3.
Eslinger juggled his lineup against NAIA member Wayland Baptist and inserted reserves at 133, 165 and 285 pounds. Freshman Ethan Hames (133) got his first collegiate win by pinning, and heavyweight Bradley Rogers also pinned while Trey Stavrum won by forfeit.
They joined a lengthy list of Mocs who went undefeated on the day, led by four-match winners Shawn Greevy (141), Levi Clemons (174), Robert Prigmore (184) and Niko Brown (197). Heavweight Kevin Malone, Nick Soto (133) and Brandon Wright (165) each was 3-0 while Dan Waddell (157) went 2-0.
"Levi has struggled a little finding his way, but he's on a little bit of a roll and we need to keep him headed in that direction," Eslinger said. "He has rediscovered some offense he had gotten away from."
The undefeated day boosted Clemons' record to 14-10. Malone is now 19-9, Soto 17-4, Brown 16-5 and Prigmore 15-8.
The Mocs faced just two ranked wrestlers -- both at 149 -- and Kelley Felix lost to No. 3 Cole VonOhlen 6-0 of Air Force and Dean Pavlou lost 6-3 to Utah Valley's No. 8 Josh Wilson. Felix and Pavlou each had a pin and another win on the plus side.
"I really feel like we competed at every weight class in every match," Eslinger said.
UTC 28, AIR FORCE 7
125--Greg Rinker (AF) major dec. Cole Gallagher, 15-7; 133--Nick Soto (UTC) dec. Tyler Untrauer, 4-2; 141--Shawn Greevy (UTC) major dec. Carter McElhany, 13-3; 149--Cole VonOhlen (AF) dec. Kelly Felix, 6-0; 157--Dan Waddell (UTC) dec. Joshua Kreimier, 6-4; 165--Brandon Wright (UTC) major dec. Colby Kleusner, 10-2; 174--Levi Clemons (UTC) dec. Clayton Gable, 13-7; 184--Robert Prigmore (UTC) tech. fall over Robert Isley, 5:00; 197--Niko Brown (UTC) dec. Joshua Mohr, 7-4; 285--Kevin Malone (UTC) dec. Bently Alsup, 9-6.
UTC 27, UTAH VALLEY 7
125--Colby Christensen (UV) major dec. Cole Gallagher, 14-3; 133--Nick Soto (UTC) major dec. Derek Malan, 12-4; 141--Shawny Greevy (UTC) major dec. Avery Garner, 18-8; 149--Josh Wilson (UV) dec. Dean Pavlou, 6-3; 157--Dan Waddell (UTC) major dec. Napoleon Aniciete, 10-2; 165--Brandon Wright (TUC) dec. Ethan Smith, 6-5; 174--Levi Clemons (UTC) dec. Monte Schmalhaus, 10-7; 184--Robert Prigmore (UTC) dec. David Prieto, 6-0; 197--Niko Brown (UTC) dec. Brian Chamberlain, 9-6; 285--Kevin Malone (UTC) dec. Dustin Dennison, 12-7.
UTC 37, BROWN 3
125--Billy Watterson (B) dec. Blake Thomas, 4-1; 133--Nick Soto (UTC) dec. Bean Martino, 7-5; 141--Shawn Greevy (UTC) dec. Zack Tanenbaum, 10-3; 149--Kelly Felix (UTC) major dec. Ricky Bailey, 12-3; 157--Dean Pavlou (UTC) pinned Max Lewin, 4:31; 165--Brandon Wright (UTC) major dec. Pat Labuz, 15-6; 174--Levi Clemons (UTC) dec. David Foxen, 8-6; 184--Robert Prigmore (UTC) dec. Ophir Bernstein, 7-1; 197--Niko Brown (UTC) tech. fall over Marcos Aranda, 7:00; 285--Kevin Malone (UTC) won by forfeit.
UTC 46, WAYLAND BAPTIST 3
125--Albert Tapia (WB) dec. Cole Gallagher, 4-1; 133--Ethan Hames (UTC) pinned Josh Mendoza, 4:59; 141--Shawn Greevy (UTC) major dec. Victor Thomas, 10-0; 149--Kelly Felix (UTC) pinned Chris Hart, 3:58; 157--Dean Pavlou (UTC) dec. Bernie Gonzales, 10-6; 165--Trey Stavrum (UTC) won by forfeit; 174--Levi Clemons (UTC) dec. Chino Alvarez, 5-4; 184--Robert Prigmore (UTC) pinned B.J. Shepperd, 1:45; 197--Niko Brown (UTC) pinned Manuel Rocha, 4:41; 285--Bradley Rogers (UTC) pinned Markese Christan, 1:50.