Fort Wayne, IN – UC men's wrestling went 2-1 on the first day of the NWCA National Duals on Thursday. The Patriots began the day with a 42-3 win over the Warriors of Midland University who are receiving votes. Next, the seventh-ranked Running Eagles of Life University barely took the win by a score of 19-16. Cumberlands bounced back in their third match by defeating the 15^th-ranked Wildcats of  Baker University 37-7. After the first day of duals, UC moves their record to 6-1 on the year.

In the first match against Midland, the Patriots won nine of the ten weight classes to dominate the match. At 125 pounds, top-ranked Hayden Lee won by fall at 4:12 over Devante Williams for UC to jump ahead 6-0. Next, top-ranked Jake Sinkovics won by forfeit at 133 pounds, increasing the lead to 12-0. The Warriors snuck in a decision win at 141 pounds to shorten the deficit to 12-3, just before top-ranked Tres Leon improved the UC lead to 18-3 with a fall victory at 5:48 over Jake Wilson in the 149 pound weight class. Bobby Ehman, 157 pounds, followed up with a 5-1 decision win over 19^th-ranked Dominique Evans, pushing the Patriots ahead to 21-3.

At 165 pounds, 15^th-ranked Tristan Macri earned his own 4-3 decision win over Stephon Gray to make the score 24-3. Hunter Bell, ranked 18^th at 174 pounds, defeated Cooper Self in an 8-3 decision for the Patriots to go up 27-3. Fourth-ranked Cameron Jones won by fall at 2:13 over Gage Hartline at 184 pounds then 11^th-ranked Eric Deluse, 197 pounds, also won by fall at 3:13 over Adam Ball, giving the Patriots a 39-3 lead. At 285 pounds, Devin Morrow wrapped up UC's 42-3 victory by defeating Maury Lemons in a 2-1 decision.

After destroying the Warriors, Cumberlands faced MSC-foe Life in the quarterfinals but ultimately fell short. Lee, 125 pounds, began the match with a 16-0 tech fall over Dillon Evans as UC took an early 5-0 lead. At 133 pounds, Sinkovics earned a 6-2 decision win over Lucas Patterson, making the score 8-0. Life won by decision at 141 pounds to get on the board and bring down the lead to 8-3.

Tres Leon brought the lead to 13-3 by defeating Denver Stonecheck in a 17-2 tech fall. The Eagles captured the next three weight classes to tie the match at 13-13. Jones, 184 pounds, won in a 10-5 decision to put the Patriots back in control 16-3. However, Life followed up but taking the final weight classes to steal the lead and barely win the match 19-16.

UC came out strong in their next match against Baker and followed a similar to suit to earlier by taking eight of ten weight classes. In the 125 pound weight class, Lee put the Patriots up by six points early by notching a fall win over Dylan Pelland at 2:50. Next at 133 pounds, Sinkovics won in a 12-0 major decision over Brandon Dofat for Cumberlands to go ahead 10-0. At 141 pounds, Trent Leon had a forfeit win, increasing the lead to 16-0. Tres Leon, 149 pounds, won in a 21-4 tech fall over 14^th-ranked Colby Johnson, pushing the Patriots up 21-0.

Bobby Ehman, 157 pounds, recorded a 16-1 tech fall over Joseph Tallie, allowing the Patriots a 26-0 lead halfway through the match. At 165 pounds, Brady Emerson won in an 11-6 decision over Bryson Wesley extending the lead 29-0. Baker managed to score some points with a win at 174 to make the score 29-3. Jones defeated Jacob Smith, who tied the fourth ranking at 184 pounds with Jones, in an 11-4 decision for UC to go ahead 32-3. At 197 pounds, Baker tallied another win to put the score to 32-7. At 285 pounds, sixth-ranked Quandre Chisolm wrapped up the match by defeating Lahmad Evans in a 17-1 tech fall for UC to win the match 37-7.

The Patriots will return to the mat for the final day of the NWCA National Duals in Fort Wayne, IN. Cumberlands will start the day with a match against Embry-Riddle University at 9 am, with a win UC will have a chance to compete for fifth-place at 2 pm.

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