(Editor’s note: University of Providence athletics release)
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The University of Providence men’s wrestling competed in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) duals on Sunday, finishing the day perfect with four dual victories.
Against the No. 9 Midland University Warriors, the Argos grabbed their first victory of the day in a 30-18 win.
The Warriors took the early lead as they gained wins at 125 and 133 pounds to open a 12-0 advantage. Chris Mesa cut the deficit in half for the Argos, winning at 141 to make the score 12-6. TJ Baun fell by an extremely close 6-5 decision at 149 pounds, but Shonn Roberts tacked on three more for the Argos as he defeated David Berg in an 8-6 decision to bring the Argos back within six, 15-9.
No. 2 Adrian Lyons-Lopez produced a dominant 15-0 shutout technical fall over No. 8 Dominique Evans to cut the deficit down to one, 15-14. One more victory in the 174-pound weight class for the Warriors would put Midland up by four, but the final three bouts were won decisively by the Argos to seal the dual victory. Tyler Webley grabbed a 16-2 major decision over Zachary Wendle at 184, while No. 5 John Hensley and No. 4 Matthew Hopkins both earned pins to close things out, tallying 16 points for the Argos en route to their 30-18 victory.
The Argos followed their opening victory with a win over the Morningside College Mustangs, 31-16.
Much like the first dual, the Argos fell down by 10 early as the Mustangs earned a forfeit at 125 and then secured a major decision at 133 pounds. However the Argos would claim six of the eight remaining matches to defeat Morningside.
Mesa tallied six points for the Argos as he earned an injury default victory at 141 pounds to bring the Argos within four, 10-6. At 149 pounds, Roberts dominated Brendan Crews in a 17-2 technical fall to give the Argos a one-point lead, 11-10. No. 5 Casey Dobson earned a 15-2 major decision over the Mustangs’ Kyle Fowler to extend the Argos lead, 15-10, then Lyons-Lopez picked up a pin over Alexander Thompson, giving the Argos a double-digit lead, 21-10.
Morningside grabbed two decision victories at the 174- and 184-pound weight classes to bring the Mustangs back within five, but at 197 pounds, Hensley grabbed the Argos’ second pin of the dual to put UP back up by nine while also clinching the Argos victory. Matthew Hopkins closed things out in the heavyweight class as he tallied four more points with a 15-3 major decision over Daniel Ausloos, 31-16.
Providence earned their largest victory of the day as they defeated the Hastings Broncos, 38-9.
The Broncos earned a forfeit at 125 pounds to lead 6-0, but Eli Walston picked up a 5-0 decision over Jake Abeyta to cut the deficit in half, 6-3. Baun followed that up with an 18-9 major decision to push the Argos on top, 7-6. Roberts pushed the Argos lead to seven as he garnered a pin at 149 pounds, 13-6. Hastings earned their second and last victory of the dual as they took an 8-6 decision to bring the match within four, 13-9. That was as close as the Broncos would get as the Argos would take the remaining matches.
Josh Beckler earned a 9-2 decision at 165 pounds, then Alex Quick picked up an injury default victory to push the Argos lead to 22-9. Webley claimed a 15-2 major decision, while Hensley and Hopkins rounded things out with two pins to push the Argos to victory.
The Argos closed out the day with one final dual win against the Concordia (Neb.) Bulldogs to close out their perfect 4-0 performance in the GPAC Duals, 29-15.
Concordia opened the dual with a 6-0 lead after 125 pounds. The Bulldogs doubled their lead with a pin in the 133-pound match, but Mesa earned a 14-7 decision to cut the Argos deficit back to single digits at 12-3. Baun tallied three points for the Argos with a 13-10 decision at 149 pounds, then Dobson and Lyons-Lopez had dominant victories as they earned a 15-0 technical fall and a pin, respectively, to put the Argos up 18-12.
Concordia garnered a win at 174 pounds in a 7-0 decision, but the Argos took the last three duals to seal the win. Webley earned a 17-2 technical fall over Darrin Miller, Hensley took a 17-4 major decision at 197 pounds, and Hopkins finishing things off with a 12-5 decision.
Providence returns to the mat after the holiday break, traveling to Louisville, Ky. for the National Wrestling Coaches Association multi-divisional duals on Jan. 4-5.
