- February 16th, 2007, 10:21 pm
#61337
Quote from VMI Message board
Wrestling Drops Decision at Liberty, 30-13
Alvarenga Becomes Fourth Keydet to Post Multiple 30-win seasons
LYNCHBURG, Va.- The VMI wrestling team made a late run, but the damage had already been done as Liberty took control by winning five of the first six bouts, including three by pin, as the Flames claimed a 30-13 victory and wrapped up an undefeated home slate in their first season back on the mats since the program was discontinued in 1994.
The Flames took a decision at 125, as Christian Smith defeated VMI's Jonathan Pope 13-8 to take the 3-0 lead. Wrestling up a weight, Keydet freshman Lance Long was pinned at the 1:35 mark at 133 by Sam Walters, while Tim Harner claimed another six points for the hosts by pinning Brandon Franklin at the 2:05 mark of the 141 match.
Senior Sam Alvarenga got the Keydets on the board and claimed his 30th win of the season with a 7-4 decision at 149, becoming only the fourth VMI wrestler to post multiple 30-win seasons in their career. Alvarenga is now alone in fifth place in career victories at VMI, sporting a 108-43 mark, including a 30-6 record this season.
With the match score standing at 15-3, Liberty tacked on six more points at 157, when Shaun Smith pinned Vince Cole 5:26 into the match, before the Flames' Chad Porter was awarded a forfeit victory at 165, giving the Flames a commanding 27-3 advantage.
The Keydets fought back over the next three matches, with John Burton winning his third match in his last four outings, defeating Joseph Son 12-9 at 174. Corry Murray improved to 21-10 on the year with an 11-2 major decision at 184, followed by a 6-2 decision by Kyle Elgert, wrestling up two weights at 197, against Rory Bosek.
The final match of the night saw the Flames tack on their sixth victory of the evening, as Patrick Walker took a thrilling 3-1 decision against Leon Barrow.
The meeting was the tenth all-time between the Keydets and Flames on the mats, as Liberty took their fifth in a row and eighth overall.
The Keydets wrap up the regular season on Sunday afternoon, taking on The Citadel and North Carolina in a tri-meet in Charleston, S.C., beginning at Noon.
Liberty 30, VMI 13
125 – Christian Smith (LU) dec. Jonathan Pope (VMI), 13-8 – LU 3-0
133 – Sam Walters (LU) fall Lance Long (VMI), 1:35 – LU 9-0
141 – Tim Harner (LU) fall Brandon Franklin (VMI), 2:05 – LU 15-0
149 – Sam Alvarenga (VMI) dec. Aaron Kelley (LU), 7-4 – LU 15-3
157 – Shaun Smith (LU) fall Vince Cole (VMI), 5:26 – LU 21-3
165 – Chad Porter (LU) wins by forfeit – LU 27-3
174 – John Burton (VMI) dec. Joseph Son (LU), 12-9 – LU, 27-6
184 – Corry Murray (VMI) major dec. Chris Daggett (LU), 11-2 – LU 27-10
197 – Kyle Elgert (VMI) dec. Rory Bosek (LU), 6-2 – LU 27-13
HWT – Patrick Walker (LU) dec. Leon Barrow (VMI), 1-0 – LU 30-13
Quote from VMI Message board
"Losing to Liberty (ugh!) is bad enough. But 30-13 is really bad. And
to a program that just fielded its first team since 1994...Come on...!"