PEMBROKE – Visiting Belmont Abbey used a third-period pin from eighth-ranked Mitch Dean to move out in front, but the 23^rd-ranked UNC Pembroke wrestling team won each of the last three matches on the day, including pins from Bryce Walker (197 pounds) and Ryan Monk (285) to topple the Crusaders, 26-16, on Tuesday afternoon at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
 
It was the third-straight series win for the Braves (1-0) who successfully reopened Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court after the facility had been void of any athletic competition for more than nine months. The Crusaders (0-1) fell to 2-17 all-time in the series with the Black & Gold, and have now dropped six-straight contests in Pembroke.
 
Third-ranked Nick Daggett opened the day with a convincing 19-2 technical fall in the 125-pound matchup to give the hosts a quick lead, and eighth-ranked Logan Seliga followed with a 4-0 decision at 133 pounds to stretch the team lead out to 8-0, but Belmont Abbey got back into the match by capturing four of the next five individual matchups.
 
The Crusaders took their first lead of the afternoon on Dean's pin at 165 pounds, and led 16-11 on the team scoreboard following Logan Branham's tight 3-2 win in the 174-pound bout with Garrett Hill. That triumph awoke a sleeping giant, however.
 
Fayetteville native Jovaun Johnson out-worked Amir Joseph on the way to a high-scoring decision at 184 pounds, and the Black & Gold closed out the day with a pair of dominant wins. Walker tallied a quick takedown in his 197-pound matchup with Chritos Avgeros before pinning the Abbey sophomore and Old Dominion transfer just more than a minute later. Monk racked up a takedown and a pair of 4-point near falls in the first 120 seconds of his bout with Jordan Hawthorne before putting both of his shoulders to the mat at 2:28.
 
The Braves will take a 3-week hiatus from competition before resuming their 2020-21 schedule against Emmanuel on January 7 at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. Wrestling action is scheduled to get underway at 7 p.m.