IOWA 44, UTC 3
125–Sean Boyle (UTC) dec. Thomas Gilman, 3-1, SV1; 133–Cory Clark (I) pinned Nick Soto, 4:15; 141–Josh Dziewa (I) dec. Mike Pongracz, 4-2; 149–Brandon Sorensen (I) tech. fall Jacob Murphy, 20-4; 157–Mike Kelly (I) pinned Austin Sams, 4;32; 165–Nick Moore (I) dec. Justin Lampe, 11-6; 174–Michael Evans (I) pinned Sean Mappes, 4:44; 184–Sam Brooks (I) pinned McCoy Newberg, 1:53; 197–Nathan Burak (I) dec. Scottie Boykin, 7-4; 285–Bobby Telford (I) pinned Jared Johnson, 2:50.Records: Iowa 16-0; UTC 12-6.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team had a four-hour bus trip and about 24 hours to refocus after losing to Iowa at Iowa City in the NWCA National Duals.
The Mocs, who lost 44-3 to the nation’s top-ranked team Saturday, got on the bus and headed across the Mississippi River for today’s all-important Southern Conference meet at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.
The loss to Iowa broke a nine-match win streak, but the Mocs can stretch their 20-meet conference win streak this afternoon.
The lone win against the Hawkeyes came at the outset with 125-pound Sean Boyle securing a 3-1 overtime win over fifth-ranked Thomas Gilman, who entered the meet with a 25-1 record. The win is sure to improve Boyle’s No. 10 national ranking.
“Great win for Sean. We beat Gilman and he just beat Nashawn Garrett, who’s ranked No. 2 in the country,” UTC coach Heath Eslinger said. “We knew we needed to come here and pick off a good guy, and Boyle did it.”
The Mocs were close in a couple of other matches with Iowa’s sixth-ranked Josh Dziewa scoring a 4-2 win over Mike Pongracz at 141, sixth-ranked Nathan Burak defeating Scottie Boykin 7-4 and ninth-ranked Nick Moore beating freshman Justin Lampe 11-6.
“Lampe wrestled great, Scottie wrestled well and Pongo wrestled really well,” Eslinger said. “This is positive for us. We’re here with the best teams in the country.”
Nick Soto (133), UTC’s other ranked wrestler, and heavyweight Jared Johnson, whose 26 wins are the most by a Moc this season, lost by pin.
A win at SIUE will give the Mocs their 10th league title in years. UTC, now 12-6 overall, is 6-0 in SoCon matches. Key matches that will figure into seeding for the SoCon tournament are at 141 pounds (Pongracz vs. Angelo Silvestro) and at 174 (Sean Mappes vs. Jake Residori). Pongracz and Mappes each is 4-1 in league matches; the two Cougars are each 5-1.
“Those are probably their best two guys,” Eslinger said. “We have to turn our attention to SIUE and then the Southern Conference tournament.”
UTC has won five straight against the Cougars, including last year’s 35-6 victory. In that match, Soto and Pongracz scored major decisions.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.