FORT WAYNE, Ind. — With the most consistent program in the country competing for another Top 5 finish, Campbellsville men's wrestling fell to No. 1 Grand View and No. 3 Missouri Valley to finish fourth at the NWCA National Duals.
Campbellsville is the lone team in the country to finish in the Top 5 of the NWCA National Duals every year since 2009.
The Tigers ran into a buzz saw with No. 1 and four-time national champion Grand View in the semifinals match on Saturday morning. But then Campbellsville gave Missouri Valley a run for its money in the third place match.
Missouri Valley 21, Campbellsville 17
After leading 17-6 with four weight classes to go, Missouri Valley rallied to sweep the four final matches and steal third place from Campbellsville.
Cole Manion and David Sparks picked up two early wins for CU at 133 and 141 pounds, respectively. Then Kyle Terry whipped No. 2 Andrew Simmons with an 11-4 decision at 157 pounds and and Sean Black followed suit with a 16-1 tech fall over No. 14 Dalton Tipton to push the Tigers ahead with the comfortable lead.
But No. 3 Riley Boomer served No. 12 Justin Brown his only loss of the tournament, 5-4, in the 174-pound weight class and Campbellsville had to forfeit at 184 due to injuries.
At 197, No. 9 Donavan Fouchey rallied to knock off Miguel Santis, 5-3, and No. 1 Gabi Musaliam sealed the third place finish for Missouri Valley with an 8-1 decision over No. 16 Terrell Moore at 285 pounds.
Grand View 37, Campbellsville 2
In the semifinals, Top-ranked Grand View was too much for the Tigers to handle. Grand View went on a 22-0 run in the first six matches before Campbellsville's Justin Brown rallied for a 4-2 decision over No. 8 Dylan Blackford at 174 pounds.
Grand View picked up three more wins via a pin by Michael Pixley over Miguel Santis, a forfeit and a 4-0 decision by No. 3 Dean Broghammer over Terrell Moore.
Brown, Terry and Black led Campbellsville with 3-1 records over the weekend.
Campbellsville now enters its Mid-South Conference portion of its schedule, trailing to University of the Cumberlands on Monday, Jan. 20, Lindsey Wilson on Tuesday, Jan. 28 and Cumberland University on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
The Tigers will host St. Catharine College for its only MSC duals on Feb. 5 in the new wrestling facility.Â