CORTLAND, N.Y. — The Averett University wrestling team went 2-1 at the SUNY Cortland Duals on Saturday, starting with a 37-12 loss to No. 14 Ithaca College but bouncing back with a 33-20 win over Cortland and a 26-19 victory against Nassau Community College.

Dual 1

Against Ithaca, No. 5 junior Sam Braswell started off with an 8-4 win by decision at 125 pounds to give Averett an early 3-0 lead. After a pin at 133 pounds gave Ithaca a brief lead, No. 8 junior Brandon Woody toughed out a 2-1 victory by decision at 141 pounds to tie it back up at 6-6.

However, Ithaca then won the next six matches to put it out of hand at 37-6. Freshman Trent Ragland won by injury default at 285 to make the final 37-12.

Dual 2

Against Cortland, Braswell got his second win of the day and 20th win of the season with a pin at 125 to give Averett an early 6-0 lead. A loss by decision at 133 pounds cut the lead to 6-3 before Woody got a pin of his own at 141 pounds to extend it back out to 12-3.

However, the Red Dragons answered with wins by tech fall and pin to take their first lead of the day at 14-12. That's when freshman Isaiah Deck came up big with a pin at 165 pounds to give Averett an 18-14 lead, a lead it did not give up for the rest of the dual. Fellow freshman Noah Wienclawski then built off that momentum with a tight 4-3 win by decision to give the Cougars a 21-14 lead with three bouts left.

Freshman George Moseley then stepped up and sealed the win for Averett with a win by pin at 184 pounds that gave the Cougars a 27-14 lead. After a loss by pin at 197 pounds, Ragland won by pin at 285 to cap off the 33-20 win for Averett.

Dual 3

In the final dual of the day against Nassau, Braswell improved to 3-0 on the day with a hard fought 6-4 win by decision at 125 pounds that started Averett off with a 3-0 lead. Following a loss by pin at 133 pounds, Woody won by tech fall, 17-2, allowing Averett to retake the lead, 8-6. This win was Woody's 30th of the season, a team high, and he also finished the day with a 3-0 record.

However, Nassau put the Cougars in a hole with wins by decision and pin to retake a 15-8 lead. A win by forfeit from Deck at 165 cut the lead to one point before Nassau got a win by major decision at 174 pounds to hold a 19-14 advantage.

That's when Moseley against came up big with a pin at 184 to give Averett a 20-19 lead with two bouts remaining. The pin was his 15th of the season, while he also earned his 23rd win of the year, good for second on the team. The Cougars then locked up the dual as freshman Kowan Lee got an 8-2 win by decision at 197 pounds and Ragland won a tight match by decision, 8-6, at heavyweight, as he capped off a solid 3-0 day.

Averett returns to action with its first home dual since early November as it hosts Washington & Lee University on Jan. 30 at 7 p.m.