Williamsburg, KY – Men's wrestling closed out the dual season with a win, downing Thomas More 32-18 on Senior Day. The lone man to graduate, Jarod Swank, had his biggest win of the season at 174 pounds.
 
Swank, ninth ranked in the NAIA at his weight, shutout his opponent for a tech fall in 2:32. In a high-scoring first period, he tilted David Gilbert of Thomas More four times for nearfalls. Swank nearly noted the first fall of his final season, but slipped out of it to record his first tech instead.
 
The Patriots noted their 14th consecutive home win with the victory, dating back to December 2016. This season they picked up wins at the O. Wayne Rollins Center against Cumberland and now Thomas More.
 
Gage Hudson started the Patriots showing on a high note, walking off with his first win since Midway. He gave up the first points in the dual to Shay Horton, and took a deficit into the second. He turned around the match with a takedown in the next period and rode it out to take back the ride time advantage. He allowed only one point against in the third, tabbing two takedowns as well for the win, 8-3.
 
Ryan Franco, 133 pounds, noted his second straight win, also picking up his first win of the season by fall. He only needed to work the first period, getting an initial takedown and two-point nearfall before forcing the 2:18 pin. It extended the Pats lead to 9-0.
 
Getting his first collegiate win, Victor Zamora dominated his 149 bout against Cameron Baird. He twisted out of a takedown to open his appearance and turned it into bonus points. The local product picked up the major 19-9 with three nearfalls tilted in his favor.
 
Turner Black avenged his loss earlier this weekend with a 19-3 tech fall, the first of two Patriot techs on the day. The 165-pounder had a 6-0 advantage into the second, where his aggressive moves gave him the tech by period-end, noting a four-point nearfall as time expired.
 
Back on his winning ways, Gabe Jacobs continues to lead the team in falls after Sunday's performance at 184 pounds. He charts his second-straight pin needing only 40 seconds on the mats, a new season fastest. Credit an early fierce shot for an early takedown, and following through for the fall.
 
In the tightest match-up of the day, number-three heavyweight Aaron Johnson fended off unranked Joe Wahl. The score kept close at 4-4 into the third, after Johnson was scored on by reversal and was unable to build his base in the second for an escape. He squeezed a takedown with 20 seconds remaining in the match, riding out the time for a 6-4 win.
 
Cumberlands now sits 5-2 overall on the dual season, 3-1 in MSC North action to secure second in the division. The team now prepares for the conference tournament in two-weeks time, taking place in Bowling Green, KY on February 19.
 
 
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