GREENSBORO, N.C. — In a tri-match hosted by Greensboro College, the Averett University wrestling team went 1-1 on the day, falling to Division II Davis & Elkins College, 27-23, but closing the day out with a 25-12 victory over Greensboro on Saturday afternoon.

Dual 1

Junior Sam Braswell's strong campaign continued as he started things off with a 20-7 major decision victory at 125. Fellow junior standout Brandon Woody kept the momentum going with a pin at 141 to give Averett the lead. However, Davis & Elkins got pins at 133 and 149 to take a 12-10 lead over Averett.

Sophomore Tony Blackman won by decision, 9-3, as Averett retook the lead at 13-12. However, losses by fall at 165 and 174 allowed Davis & Elkins to take the lead back, but a win by forfeit at 184 kept the Cougars in it, trailing 24-19 with two bouts left.

At 197, Kowan Lee fought hard, taking the match to overtime, but a takedown from the Senators late clinched the dual. At heavyweight, freshman Trent Ragland won by major decision, 13-0, in his wrestling debut with Averett.

Dual 2

After a double forfeit at 125, Braswell moved up to 133 and won by decision in a bout that came right down to the wire, 6-5, as part of a run that involved Averett jumping out to a 13-0 lead. Other wins in this span included Woody, who won by major decision, 15-2, at 141 to improve to a team-best 17-1 on the season, and junior Caleb Harmon, who fired out of the gates with a pin in just 33 seconds at 149.

Greensboro then answered with wins by major decision, decision and fall at 157, 165 and 174, respectively, to tie the dual up at 13. Averett then collected a win by forfeit at 184 to regain the lead, 19-13.

That's when freshman George Moseley, who moved up to 197 for the dual, won a tough bout by decision, 4-1, to seal the dual for Averett at 22-12 after Greensboro was docked a point for unsportsmanlike conduct after the match. To close out the dual Ragland earned his second win of the day with a hard fought 5-4 decision victory at heavyweight.

Averett now breaks for the holidays before returning to action on Jan. 4 when it goes to the Jim Crytzer Invitational starting at 9 a.m.