Area sports notes: UTC wrestlers fall to 20th-ranked Campbell in SoCon dual meet

Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / UTC's Matthew Waddell controls SIU-Edwardsville's Ryan Yarnell during the 165-pound match in the Mocs' 2019-20 season-opening dual on Nov. 1 at Miller Park.
Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / UTC's Matthew Waddell controls SIU-Edwardsville's Ryan Yarnell during the 165-pound match in the Mocs' 2019-20 season-opening dual on Nov. 1 at Miller Park.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestlers lost 26-11 in their Southern Conference meet Saturday afternoon at 20th-ranked Campbell (8-2, 4-0). UTC (5-9, 3-2) got off to a good start with 17th-ranked 125-pounder Fabian Gutierrez edging preseason league favorite Korbin Meink in overtime, but only 23rd-ranked Tanner Smith at 149 and Rodney Jones at 197 won for the Mocs after that - both by 9-1 major decisions. Mason Wallace at 141 lost 5-4 to 10th-ranked Josh Heil, and UTC's No. 14 Matthew Waddell fell 5-0 to No. 6 Andrew Morgan. The Mocs visit The Citadel on Feb. 16.

Tennis

* Jacob Marshall at No. 6 singles and undefeated Niklas Gerdes at No. 1 overcame 6-4 first-set losses to give the UTC men's tennis team a 4-3 victory Friday night at Belmont and a seven-match winning streak. That's the program's longest since 2008, and the Mocs (7-1) host UNC-Asheville at 1 p.m. Sunday at McCallie School. Belmont (3-3) won the doubles point, but the Mocs went up 2-1 with straight-sets singles wins by Jeffrey Dewald and Tomas Rodriguez at Nos. 4 and 2. Then the Bruins took a 3-2 lead before Marshall won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 and Gerdes finished the match with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 score.

Basketball

* The Lee University women's team, ranked fourth and sixth in separate NCAA Division II polls, won an 11th consecutive game for the second time this season Saturday, 66-42 over Gulf South Conference visitor West Alabama. Then the Lee men won 69-58, clinching a spot in the GSC tournament. No one played 25 minutes for the Lady Flames (22-1, 14-1), who led 38-15 at halftime. They were led by Nicky Widenski with 11 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Abby Bertram also had four thefts, with five assists and nine points. Ryan Montgomery and Parker Suedekum led the Flames (18-4, 13-2) with 19 points each, Montgomery adding four steals and seven rebounds, and Quay Kennedy had 10 rebounds and four assists with nine points.

* The Covenant College women edged visiting Brevard 46-44 in USA South play Saturday, but the Covenant men's scheduled game against Piedmont was postponed until Wednesday. Margo Koby and Ruthie Moore had 11 points apiece and nine and eight rebounds, Moore with six steals, for the Lady Scots (9-14, 6-8), who trailed by 13 points in the first half. Hannah Monday also collected eight rebounds, and Cosette Kirsch scored 10 points.

* Dalton State, ranked No. 3 in NAIA Division I men's basketball, set a program record with its 16th straight victory, 107-101 in overtime at Bethel University. Kevon Tucker scored 26 points, Aaron Burress had 24 plus eight rebounds and Rodley Adjei had 21 points and five assists for the Roadrunners (23-1, 12-1 Southern States Athletic Conference). C.J. Perry added 15 points, and Igor Stokic had 11 rebounds.

* NAIA Division II's 16th-ranked Bryan College women won 78-58 in an Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader at Bluefield, but the Bryan men lost 77-64. Karli Combs and Deandra Luna each scored 15 points with three 3s for the female Lions (24-1, 20-0), and Destiny Kassner and Kaitlynn Hennessee contributed 13 and 10 points with eight and nine rebounds. Luna had three steals. For the visiting men (12-13, 11-10), Justin Warner, Keaton Dotson and Noah Mulaski scored 14 points each and AJ Jones added 11. Dotson hit four 3s and Warner got eight rebounds.

* Cleveland State's teams lost their TCCAA games at Jackson State, 77-60 to the Lady Green Jays and 77-59 to the JSCC men. Britnay Gore had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Lady Cougars, who trailed 54-51 after three quarters. Za'kkria Robinson scored 12 points, and Asjah Harrell and Kyeshia Dalton added 10 apiece. The Cougars' Jaquez Hicks had 14 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots, and Demonte Person and Jakobey Hitchens each scored 10 points.

Lacrosse

* The Sewanee men lost 19-5 to visiting Guilford in both teams' season opener Saturday. Derek Zacatenco had five goals and an assist and Brennan Sweeney added four goals for the Quakers. Drew Mullen and Thomas Oliver each scored two goals, with two assists and one, and Charlie Warren fielded eight ground balls and won 13 faceoffs.

Football

* UTC football coach Rusty Wright will be the guest speaker for the Chattanooga Quarterback Club's monthly luncheon meeting Monday at noon at the Chattanooga Masonic Center across 20th Street from Finley Stadium, and the public is invited. Wright will talk about the Mocs' 2020 recruiting class and spring practice. Attendance costs $10 with a meal, $4 without. Parking is free.

Compiled by Ron Bush. Contact him at rbush@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6291.

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