There were a lot of bonus points to be had in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s wrestling match against Ohio University on Monday.
UTC’s Mocs just won more of them.
Each team won five matches in Maclellan Gymnasium, but all of the Mocs’ wins included bonus points and they won 22-19 to improve to 3-3 for the season. All three losses have been to top-10 competition.
UTC is off until the Southern Scuffle it hosts, starting on New Year’s Day.
Scottie Boykin sealed the team victory with an 11-3 major decision over Ohio’s Aaron Naples at 197 pounds. The 15th-ranked Boykin improved to 10-3.
“It gave us a cushion,” Boykin said of his win. “We need to win big-time matches, and it’s good to put on big-time performances. When the effort is there, we get big-time points, and that’s when we beat big-time teams.”
Michael Pongracz (141) and Chad Pyke (165) earned technical-fall wins, and Alonzo Allen (125) and Bryce Carr (184) joined Boykin with major-decision victories. The extra points proved to be the difference, with Ohio winning two matches by technical fall, one by major decision and two by decision.
After Sunday’s 39-3 loss to second-ranked Ohio State, the Mocs needed a win to get back on the right track and got that against the Bobcats. UTC coach Heath Eslinger was pleased also by the effort of those Mocs who lost – especially Jake Huffine (133) and Dylan Forzani (157), who fell by regular decisions and prevented extra points.
“You’re not always evaluating outcome,” Eslinger said. “You’re evaluating, ‘Are they listening and being coachable?’ I thought we wrestled hard; I’m an effort guy, and we want to give great effort. If you give great effort up and down the lineup, good things happen.”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.