The match was almost over before it started, with ASU missing a number of starters. The Mountaineers had to forfeit at 133 and 174 due to injuries.
“It was a good result today, but I think our performance was flat,” stated head coach Heath Eslinger. “We definitely have some things to work on for next weekend. It is good to not wrestle well and still get a 35-8 win, I just think today was the first time in the last 12 matches was have looked flat.”
Action began at 184 with sophomore John Lampe taking on junior Nick Vetell. Vetell was the aggressor from the start, scoring two takedowns and a 4-2 lead after the first period. Lampe kept Vetell down throughout the second period, erasing the riding time advantage. Lampe escaped early in the third and scored the winning takedown with 25 second left.
Lampe improved to 14-8 overall with the win. He also kept his SoCon slate clean at 4-0 with his second-straight one-point win.
Freshman Scottie Boykin also remained undefeated in SoCon action with his 9-0 major decision over Tyler Radford at 197. Boykin is now 17-11 overall and 4-0 in the SoCon. It was his third major decision in league duals, but the first time he did not score at least 10 points.
Freshman heavyweight Dawson Peck put the Mocs up 12-0 with his second period technical fall over Denzel Dejournette. Peck improved to 7-1 since transferring to Chattanooga from Virginia Tech in January.
Appalachian State got on the board at 125 with Vito Pasone’s tech fall against Campbell Lewis. The forfeit at 133 moved the team score to 18-5. Another App State win at 141 closed the gap to 18-8, but that was the last points for the Mountaineers.
Freshman Austin Sams picked up a nice 3-1 decision over senior Aaron Scott at 149. UTC’s lone senior in the lineup, Alex Hudson, went out in style with a second period technical fall against sophomore Nick Hall. Ninth-ranked junior Corey Mock posted a win at 165 and Chattanooga benefitted from the other forfeit at 174 to end the match.
A nice crowd of 640 were on hand for Senior Day. Hudson and Trey Stavrum were honored before the match in the last home appearance of their careers. UTC’s 13 wins are the most in one season in the Eslinger era and the most since the Mocs went 16-1 in 2007.
UTC will be on the road for the rest of the season, beginning next week at Campbell and Davidson. Two wins next week can wrap up at least a share of the SoCon regular season title. Campbell is tied with the Mocs atop the league standings at 4-0. The Mocs visit Buies Creek, N.C. on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 7:00 p.m. (E.S.T.). The road trip ends on Sunday, Feb. 9, at Davidson at 1:00 p.m.
Results:
184: John Lampe (UTC) – Dec. 5-4 - Dominick Vetell (App. St.) – UTC 3-0
197: Scottie Boykin (UTC) – MD 9-0 - Tyler Radford (App. St.) – UTC 7-0
285: Dawson Peck (UTC) – Tech Fall 17-1 (4:27) - Denzel Dejournette (App. St.) – UTC 12-0
125: Vito Pasone (App. St.) – Tech Fall 18-2 (5:41) - Campbell Lewis (UTC) – UTC 12-5
133: No. 11 Nick Soto (UTC) won by forfeit – UTC 18-5
141: Jake Smith (App. St.) – Dec. 3-2 - Mike Pongracz (UTC) – UTC 18-8
149: Austin Sams (UTC) – Dec. 3-1 - Aaron Scott (App. St.) – UTC 21-8
157: Alex Hudson (UTC) – Tech Fall 17-0 (1:46) - Nick Hall (App. St.) – UTC 26-8
165: No. 9 Corey Mock (UTC) – Dec. 5-1 - Zachary Strickland (App. St.) – UTC 29-8
174: Levi Clemons (UTC) won by forfeit – UTC 35-8
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