OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The No. 3-ranked Indiana Tech wrestling team closed out its fall semester schedule on Sunday at the Oklahoma City Duals in Abe Lemons Arena, going 2-2 on the day. Tech would fall to NJCAA No. 2-ranked Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, 23-17, in an exhibition, and to Oklahoma City, 31-12, before closing out the tournament with wins over No. 15-ranked Baker, 29-9 and Wayland Baptist, 45-9.
Sawyer Miller would go 4-0 on the day at 125-lbs, recording three decisions and ending his tournament with a 16-1 tech fall.
Erique Early would also go undefeated on the day with a 10 major decision and a 5-4 decision in his two appearances.
In their opening bout of the day, the Warriors take a quick 6-0 lead over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in the first two matches thanks to Miller and Early, but the Norsemen would recover quickly with back-to-back victories at 141 and 149-lbs to take a 7-6 lead. Three straight wins from Tech though, a 13-12 decision from
Thomas Garty, a 19-4 tech fall from
Mitch Roadruck and a 4-1 decision from
Scottie Sopko, would put the Orange and Black up 17-7 with three bouts to go, but the number two team in the NJCAA would use a pair of pins and a major decision to close out the match and hand the Warriors the 23-17 loss.
Tech and the Stars would trade the first six matches of the second contest of the day, with Miller, Da'Vion Williams and
Jonathan Watkins picking earning wins via decision, decision and forfeit, respectively. The hosts, and Sooner Athletic Conference foes, would end the match strong though, winning the last five matches of the bout, with two coming via pin and two from major decisions, to give Tech its second defeat of the day.
Thomas Pompei's squad would find its groove against No. 15-ranked Baker though, taking the first six matches against the Wildcats to take a commanding 23-0 lead. Early and Watkins would earn major decisions, Miller, Williams and Garty pick up decision wins and
Mason Gaines won via pin at 2:34 to cap the six-bout run for Tech, who went on to win the match, 29-9.
Tech would close out the tournament with another dominating performance against SAC foe Wayland Baptist, taking seven of the first eight matches en route to a 39-3 lead. Miller would start off the match with a tech fall while a pin at 1:11 from Williams would put the Warriors up 11-3. Back-to-back forfeits at 149 and 157-lbs. would increase Tech's lead to 23-3 before Roadruck, Sopko and
Zack Davis closed out the six-bout winning streak with a pin, major decision and pin, respectively, while
Dylan Cain end the day with a pin to give the Warriors the 45-9 win.
Tech will return to action on Thursday, January 4, with the NWCA National Duals and NUWAY College Open, which will be held in the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Action is set to get underway at 9 a.m. and opponents for the National Duals have yet to be announced.
