The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team lost 29-9 at Virginia on Friday but trailed only 10-9 after six matches - with winning decisions for 23rd-ranked 149-pounder Tanner Smith (7-3), 165-pounder Drew Nicholson (4-1) and No. 21 184-pounder Matthew Waddell (7-2), all sophomores. Another Mocs sophomore, Hunter Fortner, lost 3-1 in overtime to No. 22 Victor Marcelli.
Track & Field
* Five UTC runners set personal records Friday in women's indoor track and field at Samford's meet in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Mocs' Abby Bateman finished third in the 800-meter run with a PR of 2:17.26.
Tennis
* The UTC men's tennis team begins a promising 2020 season Saturday night at Alabama and hosts Appalachian State and NAIA member Union College on Sunday at McCallie's Strang-Voges indoor center, with those matches set for 3 and 7 p.m. The UTC women open Sunday at 2 p.m. against Union at Baylor School's Guerry center. UTC's Chuck Merzbacher was the Southern Conference men's coach of the year in 2019, when his Mocs were 14-11 overall and 4-3 in the league, and their deep roster has added graduate transfer Turner Voges from the University of Memphis to 2019 No. 1 Niklas Gerdes and four other returning starters. Chad Camper's female Mocs return four starters, including 14-match singles winners Polina Goloputova and Emma Van Hee.
Basketball
* The Covenant College men's team ended an 11-game USA South road winning streak with a 62-54 loss Friday night at East Division leader Methodist (10-5, 6-1). Chris Barnette had 21 points and nine rebounds for the West-best Scots (9-5, 6-1), and Will Crumly had 13 rebounds and four assists with 10 points. Zack Allen added eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
* Covenant's Lady Scots committed 33 turnovers and lost 78-46 in their USAS game at Huntingdon (8-9, 7-1). Ruthie Moore and Hannah Monday had 11 and 10 points and nine rebounds each for Covenant (5-10, 2-4), with Monday adding three blocks.
* Adrian Thomas scored 20 points and Ryan Starr and Joey Knox added 15 and 10 as Sewanee (9-8, 3-3) beat visiting Rhodes 75-66 in Southern Athletic Association men's competeition. The Rhodes women (10-6, 5-1) won 83-54; the Tigers (6-11, 1-5) got 18 points and three steals from Ellie Treanton.
Softball
* Former Cleveland State softball pitcher Peyton Varela has been rewarded for her considerable practice in overcoming adversity. She signed a full scholarship this week to continue her career at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida, and plans to play there this season. "My collegiate softball experience has been full of ups and downs, but I wouldn't trade it for the world," Varela said in a Cleveland State release. "Having two hip surgeries definitely took a toll on me physically and especially mentally, but I learned so much about myself going through that." She highly praised coach Steve Jaecks and assistant Jennah McElheney for helping her "grow not only as a softball player but as a person as a whole."
Boxing
* The Red Bank Boxing Club is hosting a set of regional warm-up fights today at the Henry Luken Sports Facility, beginning at 3 p.m. There are 22 bouts scheduled, with boxers from 10 clubs. Admission costs $7 for adults, $5 for students and nothing for ages 12 and younger. For more information call Skipper Fairbanks at 877-4113.
Bowling
* Region 3 champion Bradley Central hosts Stewarts Creek and runner-up East Hamilton visits Region 4 winner Lawrence County in TSSAA girls' sectionals Saturday. Bradley's match starts at 10 a.m. at Leisure Time in Cleveland. Boys' sectionals Monday include Blackman at Rhea County at 2 p.m. and Walker Valley at Tullahoma. Sectional winners advance to the state tournament next weekend in Smyrna.
Contact Ron Bush at rbush@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6291.