Carolinian

Issue date: 1/31/06 Section: Sports

Media Credit: SHIREEN SADAGHIANI/THE CAROLINIAN Joe Lowe goes for a takedown versus The Citadel's Darius Caldwell. Lowe earned a major decision in the 174 lbs. weight class, defeating Caldwell 12-3.

Media Credit: JOHN READ/THE CAROLINIAN Daren Burns tries for a reversal against Duke's Konrad Dudziak in the 197 lbs. bout. He went on to pick up a 13-2 major decision.

After last weeks come-from-behind victory over SoCon rival Appalachian State, the Spartans (9-1, 3-0 SoCon) carried that momentum into their non-conference match Wednesday against the Blue Devils of Duke University. UNCG easily defeated the ACC team, 23-9, winning 7 of the 10 matches.

The Spartans started off on a good note, getting an 8-4 decision from Cody Harrington at the 149 lbs. weight class. The Blue Devils quickly responded, however, taking an 8-4 decision of their own, as Duke's 157-pounder Cameron Harms defeated UNCG's Nate Berryman. UNCG's Mark Ring (165 lbs.), then scored a major decision over Aaron Glover 10-1, beginning a streak that saw the Spartans win four of the next five, including a thrilling last-second win for Joe Lowe at 174 lbs, over Duke's Levi Craig.

"I knew I could take him down on my feet," said Lowe, who relinquished a one-point lead early in the third period. "In the first and second period, I was shooting and shooting and I knew I could get on his legs easy. I just had that confidence in me and I knew I could take him down on my feet." Lowe's confidence paid off, as he scored a takedown with one second remaining to take the lead and win the match 6-4.

With the Spartans leading 10-3, Duke's Dan Tulley (184 lbs.) defeated Kane Smith in overtime on a quick takedown that won the match 3-1, pulling the Blue Devils back within striking distance at 10-6.

The Spartans had reached the meat of their line-up, as 19th-ranked Daren Burns (197 lbs., and 14th-ranked Tyler Shovlin (heavyweight) came to the mat.

Burns easily won his match, scoring a 13-2 major decision over Konrad Dudziak, and Shovlin defeated the Blue Devils' Wade Van Sickle 4-0, leaving the Spartans one match shy of securing the team victory. The Blue Devils' 125-pounder kept the match in reach for Duke by scoring a 2-0 overtime win over the Spartans' Justin Walp, but Chris Bencivenga (133 lbs.) quickly ended any thoughts of a Duke comeback by defeating Michael Degli Obizzi 11-5. The Spartans' lone remaining ranked wrestler, 141-pounder Kevin Artis (20th), defeated Phillip Wightman 5-2, giving the Spartans a 23-9 team win.

With a conference match versus The Citadel only two days away, coach Tom Shifflet thought the Duke match could only help the Spartans' chances.

"I actually think it's an advantage for us to actually wrestle this evening and get a match under our belts before the match with Citadel Friday," said Shifflet. "They're a competitive team and they're going to be ready to go."

Shifflet was right. The Bulldogs were ready to go, as they took two of the first three matches. The Citadel's Anthony Easter (125 lbs.) took a major decision from Walp, 11-0 to open the match and give the Bulldogs an early 4-0 lead. The Spartans' 133-pounder Bencivenga then won a back-and-forth match against the Bulldogs' Michael Arias, 17-11, but The Citadel's Sean Markey earned a 4-3 decision over Artis to extend the Bulldogs' lead to 7-3.

The Spartans then took the next two matches by decision, taking the overall lead 9-7, only to give it up in the next match, falling behind 10-9. In the 149 lbs. weight class, Harrington beat Matt Bullwinkle 12-7, followed by a 3-2 victory for the Spartans' Andrew Krieger (157 lbs Chris Humphries. UNCG had barely nestled into its lead when the Bulldogs took it back. The Citadel's Dan Thompson defeated Ring 4-0 in the 165 lbs. weight class.

The Spartans retaliated quickly and decisively, taking each of the last four matches. Lowe (174 lbs.) took a 12-3 major decision from Darius Caldwell to give the Spartans the lead for good. Smith in the 184 lbs. weight class then dominated Allen Elliot to get a technical fall in the third period. Nineteenth-ranked Burns then secured the match with a 5-2 decision win over Mark Thompson. With the heavyweight only a formality, Shovlin put an exclamation point on the win by pinning John Buck in 4:13, making the final team score 27-10.

The Spartans now stand at 3-0 in the Southern Conference, and their 9-1 record is the best 10-bout start in the history of the program. Pre-season SoCon favorite Chattanooga is the currently the only other undefeated SoCon team, at 1-0 in the conference. UNCG travels to Chattanooga on Feb. 18 for the final SoCon match of the year.

"It's going to be an exciting match. There's no question," says Shifflet, "There's going to be some great match-ups. Chattanooga gets a great following, so it'll be a huge crowd… I'm looking forward to it, but VMI is a good solid team also, and we need to get ready for them first."

The Spartans host VMI next Wednesday, Feb.15 at 7 pm in Fleming Gymnasium after a road trip and home match against non-conference opponent, Maryland on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10:30 am."

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