LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The No. 13-ranked Indiana Tech men's wrestling team suffered its first Friday exit from the NWCA National Duals for the first time in seven years as they went 1-2 at the annual event inside the Kentucky Center. Tech fell to No. 5-ranked Oklahoma City University, 17-16, in their first match of the day before destroying Midway University 51-0. The Warriors run ended against No. 12-ranked University of Providence with a 24-16 loss.
The two Sooner Athletic Conference rivals found themselves tied up at 6-6 after four matches, with the twin duo of
Matthew Gimson and
Conner Gimson recording 8-1 and 8-5 wins at 133 and 141-lbs., respectively.
Nick Gates and
Sam York made it 12-6 Tech with 3-1 and 5-4 wins and 157 and 165-lbs., respectively, while
Eric Vermillion notched an 11-2 major decision to go up 16-10 with two matches to go. The Stars took the next two matches though, to tie the bout up at 16-16, and earned the win on tiebreakers (3.15.3 Total match points scored only from decisions, major decisions and technical falls).
The Orange and Black rebounded in a big way though as they shut out Midway for their third largest margin in victory in program history.
Kyle Kantola, Gates,
Rahman Johnson and Vermillion all record falls in their matches, with Johnson pinning his opponent in 26 seconds.
Josh Hill notched a 16-0 tech fall while
Kolby Ferris had a 13-3 major decision.
The Warriors found themselves all tied up with the Argos at 10-10 after four matches, with
Matthew Gimson winning 13-4 and Kantola getting a pin in three minutes. A pair of decisions for Tech matched a fall for Providence, but the Argos clinched the match by winning the last three matches to knock the Orange and Black out of the tournament.
Tech (4-5) returns to action on January 17 and 18 as they compete in the Missouri Valley Invitational and Alma Open in Marshall, Missouri and Muskegon, Michigan.
