UTC 16, APPALACHIAN STATE 16
(Meet started at 285 pounds)125 — Vito Pasone (AS) major dec. Alonzo Allen, 15-4; 133 — Chris DeBien (UTC) dec. Colby Smith, 2-1; 141 — Chase Zemenak (UTC) dec. Irvin Enriquez, 9-5; 149 — Matthew Zovistoski (AS) dec. Roman Boylen, 7-3; 157 — Gavin Londoff (AS) dec. Dylanger Potter, 3-1; 165 — Forrest Przbysz (AS) dec. Justin Lampe, 2-0; 174 — Sean Mappes (UTC) major dec. Nick Kee, 17-7; 184 — Bryce Carr (UTC) dec. David Peters-Logue, 9-4; 197 — Clay Dent (UTC) dec. Randall Diabe, 5-1; 285 — Denzel Dejournette (AS) dec. Jared Johnson, 10-4. Records: Appalachian State 12-2, 6-0; UTC 6-9, 4-2.
A decided underdog based on results to date and rankings, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga fought Southern Conference wrestling leader Appalachian State to a deadlock Sunday in Boone, N.C.
However, the 16th-ranked and conference-leading Mountaineers won the 16-16 match on criteria. It appeared to be the fourth tiebreaker - total match points. Appalachian had 55, UTC 54.
"You don't show up to lose," Mocs coach Heath Eslinger said. "We completed and gave ourselves a chance to win, but I think we can win eight of 10 matches against those guys."
With the setback, UTC's only hope of a conference title now rests with the SoCon tournament, which is March 4 in Charleston, S.C.
The Mocs (6-9, 4-2) and the Mountaineers (12-2, 6-0) split the 10 matches, and each had a major decision - Appalachian State from Vito Pasone (125 pounds), who ended Alonzo Allen's winning streak at six, and UTC from Sean Mappes (174), who took some of the polish from 17th-ranked Nick Kee, 17-7.
Appalachian State has seven ranked wrestlers, and two lost to the Mocs. UTC freshman Chris Debien (133) beat No. 21 Colby Smith 2-1.
"It was a huge win for Chris and a big win for Mappes," Eslinger said. "We were just so close."
In a battle of ranked heavyweights to start the dual, No. 9 Denzel Dejournette of Appalachian State bested the Mocs' 11th-ranked Jared Johnson 10-4. It's the fifth straight time Dejournette has defeated the UTC senior.
Down 16-6, UTC rallied for the tie on Mappes' major and wins from Bryce Carr (184) and Clay Dent (197). Carr is 20-4 and has one less victory than the team-leading Johnson.
The Mocs finish the regular season next Sunday, hosting the Citadel at 2 p.m. at Maclellan Gym. They'll be celebrating senior day prior to the start of the meet. The Citadel, which lost to Campbell on Sunday, hosts Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Thursday before heading to Chattanooga.