GAFFNEY, S.C. – Limestone registered 15 takedowns and won four of the last six individual matchups on the evening to tally a 17-15 victory over the UNC Pembroke wrestling team in the regular season finale for both sides on Tuesday in the Timken Center.
It was the second-straight Eastern College Athletic Conference setback for UNCP (14-9, 4-2 ECAC) who wrapped up the regular season with 14 or more dual meet victories for just the third time since the 1982-83 campaign. The triumph snapped a three-match series losing skid for the Saints (11-6, 4-2) who picked up their second home win of the campaign as well.
Eric Milks knotted the team score up at 6-6 with a convincing 14-9 decision over Taylor Wickett at 149 pounds, but the Saints won each of the next three matchups to storm ahead for good. All-American Blaze Shade registered a hard-fought 4-3 decision over Clif Decius at 184 pounds to pull the Black & Gold within five points, 14-9, but Matthew Rudy posted a 4-3 overtime win at 197 pounds to clinch the team win.
Stuart Nadeau helped UNCP exit on a positive note with a second-period (3:35) pin of Cody VandeLinde in the heavyweight bout.
The Braves will be back in action again, Feb. 26-27, when they head to Indianapolis for the 2016 NCAA Midwest Super Regional inside UIndy's Nicoson Hall.
Limestone 17, UNC Pembroke 15
125: Josh Brown (UNCP) dec. James Sass (LC) D 9-4
133: Austin Jamison (LC) dec. Dustin Smith (UNCP) D 4-1
141: Ross Benzel (LC) dec. Ryan Blackwell (UNCP) D 4-1
149: Eric Milks (UNCP) dec. Taylor Wickett (LC) D 14-9
157: DeAndre Johnson (LC) dec. Hayden Fry (UNCP) D 6-4
165: Mac Mota (LC) dec. Joe Remaklus (UNCP) D 6-4
174: Ed Wilson (LC) dec. Sheldon Morris (UNCP) D 9-6
184: Blaze Shade (UNCP) dec. Clif Decius (LC) D 4-3
197: Matthew Rudy (LC) dec. Mikey Thomas (UNCP) TB-1 4-3
285: Stuart Nadeau (UNCP) pinned Cody VandeLinde (LC) F 3:35
Notes: Limestone assessed 1-point penalty for excessive celebration (157)
Notes: UNCP coach, warning for questioning judgment (157)
Notes: UNCP coach, technical warning (157)
Records: UNC Pembroke 14-9, 4-2 ECAC; Limestone 11-6, 4-2 ECAC
