The Wheeling University Wrestling team faced a challenging night at the Salem Tri-Meet in West Virginia, where they competed against Seton Hill and the host team, Salem. With a season record of 6-4 and 3-2 in the Mountain East Conference (MEC), the Cardinals aimed to improve upon their prior performances. Unfortunately, they experienced defeats in both matches, starting with a 36-15 loss to Seton Hill, followed by a close 28-20 loss to Salem.
In their match against Seton Hill, the Cardinals struggled from the outset. They forfeited the 133-pound and 141-pound weight classes, placing them at an immediate disadvantage of 12-0. Despite the early setbacks, Wheeling managed to earn points when Bradley Spencer secured a hard-fought 5-3 decision victory at 157 pounds, marking the team’s only win among the first seven contested weight classes. While Jaxon Burcher claimed a pinfall victory at 197 pounds and Gavin Harper followed suit with a win at 285 pounds, the initial deficits proved insurmountable, leaving the final score at Wheeling 15, Seton Hill 36.
In their second dual against Salem, the team encountered a similar series of challenges. After another forfeit at 133 pounds, Brent Bosley quickly leveled the score with a pinfall victory over Ethan Moore in the 125-pound class. Unfortunately, George Croy faced another difficult bout, getting pinned by Elijah Hunter at 149 pounds. However, Jake Taylor delivered an impressive performance, securing a tech fall victory of 26-10 at 174 pounds. Jaxon Burcher continued to excel with a 7-1 decision win over Iran Love at 197 pounds, and Gavin Harper closed the evening with a swift pin against Mikey Lytle at 285 pounds. Despite these efforts, the final tally remained Wheeling 20, Salem 28.
Looking forward, the Wheeling University Wrestling team aims to regroup and prepare for the NCAA DII Super Region 1 Tournament scheduled for Sunday, March 1st. The Cardinals look to build on their experiences from these dual meets and rally towards a successful postseason, fueled by the determination and resilience displayed throughout the challenges they faced in Salem.