CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – The #4 Campbellsville University Tigers took on the #9 Cumberland University Phoenix on Monday night in their first match-up of the Mid-South Conference campaign. The Tigers fell to the Phoenix, 27-13.
Caleb Thomas opened the match for the Tigers at 125 lbs. Thomas fell to Chris Busutil by technical fall, 15-0, and the first five team points were awarded to the Phoenix. Troy Kennedy took an early 3-0 lead over Ellis Haney but was pinned in the second period. After the first two weight classes, the Phoenix had a 10-0 advantage over the Tigers.
At 141 lbs., #13 Nick Yancey took on #8 Jared Dinh. Yancey took an early 3-0 lead but quickly fell behind Dinh 7-4. After working his way back, Dinh still led over Yancey at the end of the first period, 9-8. With two three-point takedowns, Yancey won over Dinh and gave Campbellsville their first team points, making the score 11-3.
Competing at 149 lbs. weight class, #15 Nick Moore battled #13 Victor Guzman. Guzman scored the match's first points with seconds to spare in the first period. Moore had just a two-point deficit on an escape, 3-1. Much like the first period, Guzman capitalized on another three-point takedown with seconds remaining in the second period, 6-1. Moore earned a takedown of his own, cutting the deficit to 7-4, but it wasn't enough to win. Moore fell to Guzman, 8-4, leaving the team score at 14-3.
At the end of the first period at 157 lbs., the match remained scoreless between #3 Antwuan Burns and Jack Latimer, ranked #6 at 149 lbs. An escape and a takedown put Latimer in the lead, 4-0. Burns worked his way back to cut the lead in half, 4-2. After a call for stalling, the score was 4-3 in favor of Latimer and remained when time ran out. The Phoenix's lead over the Tigers extended to 17-3.
At 165 lbs., #4 Shadrick Slone took on Cameron Nesbitt. Nesbitt took an early 3-0 lead with a takedown, but Slone worked his way back to a 6-3 lead over Nesbitt. Another takedown, stalling calls, and back points gave Slone a ten-point lead, 13-3. Slone was awarded one more point before the match ended, 14-3. Slone's win over Nesbitt took the team score to 17-7.
Competing at 174 lbs., #10 Gabe Martinez battled #3 Cole Smith. After falling behind early in the match, Martinez fell by major decision to Smith, 15-5. The team score sat at 21-7 in favor of the Phoenix.
At 184 lbs., Kiernan Sherwood fell to #19 Rocco Horvath, 4-3, and three more team points were awarded to the Phoenix, 24-7.
Joel Hatchett fell behind Tyler Rowland early in the 197 lbs. match. Hatchett attempted to work his way back, but it wasn't enough. Hatchett fell to Rowland, 4-3, adding to the Phoenix's advantage, 27-7.
At 285 lbs., Gabe Craig battled Evan Huling. Craig pinned Huling in the first period to bring, adding five points to the Tiger's side of the scoreboard. The Tigers fell to the Phoenix, 27-13.
Campbellsville will be back in action on Friday, January 26th, to take on the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky.
