LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The No. 2-ranked Indiana Tech wrestling team suffered a pair of losses on Saturday at the 2019 NWCA National Duals, presented by the United States Marine Corps and Defense Soap, to finish in fourth place inside Freedom Hall at the Kentucky Expo Center. Tech fell to No. 7-ranked Life University, 25-13, in the semifinals, and lost 21-20 to No. 5-ranked University of the Cumberlands in the third-place match.
 
The Warriors got out to a 6-0 lead against Life thanks to victories from Sawyer Miller and Erique Early, who won 7-4, and 7-0, at 125 and 133-lbs, respectively. The Running Eagles would score bonus points in three of the next four bouts though, to take a 16-9 lead after six matches. Eric Vermillion would give the Orange and Black an 11-2 major decision at 174-lbs. to make it a 16-13 dual, but Life would win the next three matches to send the Warriors into the consolation semifinals.
 
In a rematch from last month's Warrior Duals in Fort Wayne, the Patriots and Tech would trade off victories over the first four matches, with Early and Da'Vion Williams notching 11-5 and 9-3 victories at 133 and 141-lbs, respectively. With UC leading 9-6 after four matches, Tech would rattle off four straight wins to take a 20-9 lead with two matches to go, with Jacob Gross and Vermillion each scoring major decisions at 9-0 and 15-4, respectively. The Patriots would win the final two bouts by pin and tech fall, however, to take the match 21-20.
 
Tech (8-3) returns to action next Saturday, January 12, as they travel to Manchester University for the Spartan Mat Classic. Wrestling is set to get underway at 9 a.m. from Stauffer-Wolfe Arena.