HAMPTON, Va. — The Averett University men's wrestling team fell 23-22 to Greensboro College on Saturday to place eighth as a team at the Virginia Duals in the American College Division.
 
Greensboro 23, Averett 22
Averett (5-8) took an early 10-0 lead in the dual after winning the first three bouts by way of two decisions and a major decision. Sophomore Sam Braswell scored five takedowns to earn an 11-6 decision at 125 pounds. Fellow sophomore Korpesh Gootee wrestled for Averett at 133 pounds and turned in an exciting 4-3 decision victory. The Fredericksburg, Virginia, native trailed 3-2 with under a minute left in the match, but Gootee kept battling and scored a takedown with eight seconds left to secure the one-point win. Sophomore Brandon Woody won 10-2 at 141 pounds and was paced by the three takedowns that he collected.
 
Greensboro (2-10) won by fall and decision in the next two bouts to trim the Averett lead to 10-9. However, freshman Jared Lough was able to widen the lead for the Cougars by pinning Michael Jones in the third period. Lough earned a takedown with about a minute and a half left and then maneuvered Jones to his back with 35 seconds left, giving Averett the 16-9 edge.
 
Freshman Craig Lewis wrestled at 174 pounds and was in a back and forth affair that saw Lewis trailing 11-10 going into the third period. Lewis chose bottom and 21 seconds into the match he scored a reversal but then quickly moved Quaevon Cannon to his back for the pin which caused an uproar from the Averett sidelines. With that win, the Cougars were now ahead 22-9 in the dual.
 
Unfortunately, Greensboro won the final three bouts by way of two major decisions and a fall to edge Averett 23-22.
 
MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS
#125 – Sam Braswell (AU) over Joey Ferigne (GC) (Dec 11-6)
#133 – Korpesh Gootee (AU) over Tony Locke (GC) (Dec 4-3)
#141 – Brandon Woody (AU) over Paul Bauberger (GC) (MD 10-2)
#149 – Hai Siu (GC) over Caleb Harmon (AU) (Fall 1:54)  
#157 – Conan Wilson (GC) over Josh Linkous (AU) (Dec 1-0)
#165 – Jared Lough (AU) over Michael Jones (GC) (Fall 6:25)      
#174 – Craig Lewis (AU) over Quaevon Cannon (GC) (Fall 5:23)
#184 – Tyron Dudley (GC) over Logan Howell (AU) (MD 24-10)
#197 – Carlos Ortega (GC) over Chris Mohr (AU) (MD 17-7)
#285 – Brandon Williams (GC) over Tavon Blowe (AU) (Fall 3:29)      
 
Averett returns to competition on Thursday, Jan. 17, when they host Bluefield College. The dual is set to start at 7 p.m.