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    Tennessee Chattanooga set to face Oklahoma tonight

    CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team faces its third consecutive nationally-ranked opponent Friday when it faces No. 17 Oklahoma. The dual begins at 8 p.m. ET on the Norman, Okla., campus of the University of Oklahoma.

    The Mocs, 5-4 and ranked No. 19, took on No. 1 Penn State and No. 9 Northwestern at last week's National Duals.

    Chattanooga has lost three matches in a row, dropping the two at the National Duals and falling to Northern Iowa Jan. 6.

    The Sooners bring a 10-1 record into the match and have won six straight duals. Their only loss of the season is a 21-9 defeat at Oklahoma State.

    "We need to get back on track," UTC Head Coach Chris Bono said. "We have wrestled some tough wrestlers and some difficult teams. And Oklahoma will be no different. But we need to dig down and find a way to come home with a win. It won't be easy, but I am confident we can compete at this level."

    Both teams have at least six ranked wrestlers that could potentially be on the mat for their respective teams. The Mocs will send senior Javier Maldonado at 125, sophomores Cody Cleveland and Joey Knox at 141 and 149 respectively, junior Nick Davis at 165, seniors Seth Garvin (157), Lloyd Davis (174), Josh Edmondson (184) and Matt Koz (197) and freshman Matt Lettner at 285.

    Maldonado is ranked as high as No. 9, Cleveland as high as No. 19, Knox and Garvin No. 20, Rogers and Koz at No. 14 and Edmondson 19th.

    Bono has a decision to make at the 133-pound match. Senior starter Steve Hromada suffered an injury at the Midlands Championships Dec. 30 despite earning a seventh-place finish at the event. He has been unable to compete for the Mocs in the last three duals and is questionable for Friday's match, although he is in the lineup.

    Junior Shawn Cordell, who decided to leave the program a few months ago, rejoined the team prior to last weeks National Duals. Cordell injured his knee in the first period of his opening match against Penn State and could not finish the match. The Mocs also had to forfeit at 133 against Northwestern the same day.

    Bono is bringing true freshman Demetrius Johnson on the trip and will weigh him in along with Hromada for the 133 match. Johnson is a native of Memphis, Tenn., and a graduate of Brighton High School.

    Ranked wrestlers for the Sooners include Brian Shelton, 13th at 133, Zach Bailey, 11th at 141, Will Rowe, ninth at 149, Max Dean, 20th at 165, Josh Weitzel, No. 7 at 184 and Joel Flaggart, third at 197.

    The Sooners finished 22nd at last year's NCAA Championships while Chattanooga placed 21st.

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