The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team broke a two-match losing streak Saturday but then suffered its ninth defeat of the year.
Wrestling in Columbia, Mo., the Mocs thumped Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 35-10 before falling 29-9 to seventh-ranked Missouri.
The Tigers, who climbed 13 spots in the rankings with wins over then sixth-ranked Boise State and second-ranked Oklahoma State at the NWCA national duals last week, won eight of their 10 bouts against UTC.
MISSOURI 29, UTC 9(Meet started at 125 pounds)125–Alan Waters (M) dec. Prescott Garner, 7-1; 133–Nathan McCormick (M) tech. fall over Joe DeAngelo, 5:10; 141–Todd Shavrien (M) tech. fall over Shawn Greevy, 5:45; 149–Dean Pavlou (UTC) dec. Kyle Bradley, 8-6, OT; 157–Josh Condon (UTC) pinned Nick Gregoris, 5:24; 165–Zach Toal (M) dec. Dan Waddell, 5-2; 174–Dorian Henderson (M) dec. Brandon Wright, 5-2; 184–Mike Larson (M) dec. Jason McCroskey, 3-2; 197–Brent Haynes (M) dec. Robert Prigmore, 6-0; 285–Dominique Bradley (M) major dec. Matt Lettner, 10-2.Records: No. 7 Missouri 13-5; UTC 6-9.UTC 35, S. ILLINOIS-EDWARDSVILLE 10(Meet started at 125 pounds)125–Prescott Garner (UTC) pinned Kris Treat, 1:46; 133–John Petrov (SIUE) major dec. Adam Wilson, 12-3; 141–Shawn Greevy (UTC) tech. fall over Nick Capozzoli, 4:14; 149–Dean Pavlou (UTC) dec. Derrick Pousson, 5-3; 157–Kelly Felix (UTC) tech. fall over Kyle Lowman, 6:21; 165–Daniel Waddell (UTC) pinned Gabe Hocum, 2:33; 174–Michael Dace (SIUE) pinned Levi Clemons, 2:02; 184–Jason McCroskey (UTC) major dec. Deshoun White, 17-4; 197–Robert Prigmore (UTC) dec. Robert Cooney, 7-2; 285–Matt Lettner (UTC) dec. David Devine, 3-1.Records: UTC 6-8; SIUE 2-10.
“I’m actually pleased. We wrestled really hard against SIUE, and we were able to wrestle some different guys,” UTC coach Heath Eslinger said. “I felt we outwrestled Missouri in seven of the matches.”
The Mocs’ two winners against Missouri were 149-pounder Dean Pavlou and Josh Condon at 157. Pavlou, the Mocs’ only double winner Saturday, edged Missouri’s Kyle Bradley with a first-overtime takedown. Condon, who did not wrestle against the Cougars, pinned Nick Gregoris in 5:24.
“Today was a good day for Dean. He took some steps toward being his old self,” Eslinger said. “Condon’s match was good for him because he beat a guy that had beat him twice when they were in high school.”
Missouri had nine ranked wrestlers in its lineup. The Moc closest to winning one of those bouts was Jason McCroskey, falling 3-2 to No. 15 Mike Larson at 184. Dan Waddell (165) also was close, dropping a 5-2 decision to 12th-ranked Zach Toal.
Kelly Felix started in place of Condon against SIUE and got one of the Mocs’ six bonus-point wins. Prescott Garner (125) and Waddell recorded pins, Felix and Shawn Greevy (141) had technical falls and McCroskey won by major decision.
“Kelly’s a super-tough guy that’s been wrestling behind another super-tough guy. It was good for him to get in the lineup,” Eslinger said.
McCroskey leads UTC in wins with 18, and Condon has 17. His pin of Gregoris was his fourth of the season, tying him for second on the team with injured 141-pounder Cody Cleveland, two behind 197-pounder Niko Brown, who sat out Saturday with a rib injury.
Half of Garner’s 10 losses have come to opponents ranked in the national top 10.
The Mocs’ next meet is Jan. 30 at home against The Citadel in their Southern Conference opener. It starts at 2 p.m.