Waterloo, IA – The 13th-ranked Patriots wrapped up action at the NWCA/NAIA National Duals with a pair of tough losses on Saturday, falling to #10 Providence 24-15 and #6 Oklahoma City 29-11 to finish eighth overall in the national tournament.
 
#13 Cumberlands Falls to #10 Providence, 24-15
The Patriots opened the day in the consolation semifinals against #10 Providence and held their own through the first half of the dual. #20 Riley Bettich earned a solid 8-3 decision at 133, followed by a big momentum shift from #16 Eli Peyton, who notched a fall at 3:30 over Koen Shigemoto in the 141-bout.
#8 Weston Melvin added a decision at 174, defeating #21 Brady Ellison 8-3, but the Argos capitalized on key matchups in the second half of the dual. Providence recorded a fall at 165 and won five of the last seven bouts to edge UC in the team score.
 
Patriots Drop 7th-Place Match to #6 Oklahoma City, 29-11
In the final match of the tournament, Cumberlands faced off with #6 Oklahoma City in the 7th-place dual. Elijah Valencia started things off with a forfeit win at 125, and Bettich continued his perfect weekend with a 7-2 decision at 133.
 
#24 Derrick Bannister added UC's final team points of the day with a 4-3 decision over A. Wilson at 174. Despite those efforts, Oklahoma City's lineup produced bonus points in three matches — including a fall at 157 and a major at 141 — to take the dual 29-11 and secure seventh place.
 
Cumberlands will return to the mat on Thursday, January 15, for a Mid-South Conference showdown at the (RV) University of Rio Grande. First whistle is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Rio Grande, OH.
 
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