TIFFIN, Ohio – Daniel Ownbey, Justin Pencook, Blaze Shade and Chris Giddens all turned in perfect days on the mat to punch their tickets to Saturday's semifinal round, while freshman Eric Milks stayed alive with a win in the consolation round, to highlight action for the 17th-ranked UNC Pembroke wrestling team at the NCAA Super Region 2 Tournament on Friday afternoon in Tiffin's Heminger Center.
The Braves collected 42-1/2 points in Friday's action and sit 6th after day one of the two-day event. Third-ranked Newberry tops the 17-team field with 62-1/2 points, while No. 10 Indianapolis (58 points) and eighth-ranked McKendree (57) trail closely behind. No. 13 Maryville (54-1/2) and ninth-ranked Ashland (53) round out the top 5.
The tournament, which features six nationally ranked squads, is the precursor to the NCAA Division II National Championships which will be held, March 14-15, at Public Hall in Cleveland, Ohio. The top five finishers from each weight class at the NCAA Super Region 2 Tournament will advance to compete in the national event.
Ownbey registered a first-period (3:29) pin of Anderson's Daniel Simmons in his opening match of the day in the 141-pound championship, and then toughed out a 3-1 victory over King's Bryce Killian in the quarterfinal round. Ownbey will face Maryville's Darick Lapaglia in Saturday's semifinal round, with another rematch looming in the finals against third-ranked B.J. Young of Newberry.
Pencook barely broke a sweat in cruising through his 157-pound matches on Friday. He turned in an 18-7 major decision over Wisconsin-Parkside's Zach Noel, and then exhibited complete control of King's John Aus Jones en route to a 10-2 major decision in the quarterfinals. Pencook will battle fourth-ranked Josh Ballard of McKendree in Saturday's semifinals.
Shade got his day started at 174 pounds with a first-period (1:49) pin of Ohio Valley's Austin Antill, and then improved to 2-1 this season against Newberry's Joe Pittman with a 4-2 victory in the quarters. Shade will lock horns with seventh-ranked Zeb Wahle of Maryville in the semifinals.
Giddens had a long wait before competing in his first match of the day, but took advantage of a first round bye in topping McKendree's Ross Janney in the quarterfinal round. Giddens will take on Ashland's Tyler Houska in the semifinal round of the heavyweight championship on Saturday. Houshka upset fourth-ranked Matt Wade of Newberry in Friday's quarterfinal round to prevent a third matchup this season between Giddens and Wade.
Milks captured his opening match of the day at 149 pounds with a tight 6-5 decision over Tiffin's Sam Viengmany, but fell on the wrong end of a 10-0 major decision with eighth-ranked Kyle Williams of McKendree in the quarterfinals. Milks would rebound, however, with a first-period (2:00) pin of Lake Erie's Isaac Morisette in the consolation tournament. Milks is set to face Limestone's Mel LaVergne in Saturday's consolation quarterfinal round. LaVergne registered an 8-1 decision over the UNCP freshman less than two weeks ago at a road dual meet with the Saints.
2013-14 NCAA SUPER REGION 2 TOURNAMENT (UNCP RESULTS ONLY)
125
Patrick Mestrez (Belmont Abbey) disqualified Dontae Brown (UNCP) DQ
Dontae Brown (UNCP) dec. Reed Jacks (King) D 5-1
Alex Battaglia (Limestone) dec. Dontae Brown (UNCP) D 5-3
133
Austin Gillihan (Lake Erie) tech. fall Cole Murray (UNCP) TF 15-0
Cole Murray (UNCP) dec. Adam Green (Tiffin) D 8-2
DeMarcus Spencer (King) pinned Cole Murray (UNCP) F 1:00
141
No. 4 Daniel Ownbey (UNCP) pinned Daniel Simmons (Anderson) F 3:29
No. 4 Daniel Ownbey (UNCP) dec. Bryce Killian (King) D 3-1
149
Eric Milks (UNCP) dec. Sam Viengmany (Tiffin) D 6-5
No. 8 Kyle Williams (McKendree) maj. dec. Eric Milks (UNCP) M 10-0
Eric Milks (UNCP) pinned Isaac Morisette (Lake Erie) F 2:00
157
Justin Pencook (UNCP) maj. dec. Zach Noel (Wisconsin-Parkside) M 18-7
Justin Pencook (UNCP) maj. dec. John Aus Jones (King) M 10-2
165
No. 6 Jeff Weiss (UIndy) dec. Reggie Allen (UNCP) D 8-1
Reggie Allen (UNCP) dec. Travis Edwards (King) D 8-2
Nick Fishback (Wisconsin-Parkside) pinned Reggie Allen (UNCP) F 2:41
174
Blaze Shade (UNCP) pinned Austin Antill (Ohio Valley) F 1:49
Blaze Shade (UNCP) dec. Joe Pittman (Newberry) D 4-2
184
Brach Walker (UNCP) maj. dec. Blaike Henry (King) M 14-3
Jared Holliday (Newberry) pinned Brach Walker (UNCP) F 5:48
Chevy Farris (Lake Erie) dec. Brach Walker (UNCP) D 5-2
197
Kaleb Matchett (Tiffin) dec. Stuart Nadeau (UNCP) D 6-3
Stuart Nadeau (UNCP) pinned Robert Johnson (Anderson) F 2:30
Taylor Scott (UIndy) maj. dec. Stuart Nadeau (UNCP) M 10-2
285
No. 6 Chris Giddens (UNCP) dec. Ross Janney (McKendree) D 5-4
