CATAWBA, N.C.— The Montreat men's wrestling team hosted the Truett McConnell University Bears at Bandys High School in Catawba, N.C. Thursday evening. The dual was a rematch of the Jan. 3 meeting between the programs in the Hawk Duals, hosted by Huntingdon College. The Cavs lost tonight's matchup, 38-17, to remain winless against the Bears this season. With the defeat, Montreat moved to 1-11 on the year and 1-4 against Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) programs.
 
The dual started off with a forfeit by Montreat at 125 to put Truett McConnell ahead from the beginning, 6-0. Although Carlos Nunez was able to escape multiple near pins, Tyler Ramos for the Bears put his match away after pinning Nunez in 2:27 in the 133-lb class. The pin doubled the TMU lead just two bouts in.
 
At 141, Mikai Brinson put the Cavs on the score sheet with an 18-1 tech fall to make the team score 12-5. Robert Branson was up next for the Cavs at 149. Branson was pinned less than a minute into the first round, extending the Bears' lead to 18-5. A marathon of a bout at 157 saw Montreat's Bryson McCraw face off against TMU's Chase Bond. The three-round contest ended in a major decision in favor of Bond and the Bears.
 
Montreat scored 12 straight team points thanks to a Dylan Hogan pin over Christian Anderson in 1:37 and a TMU forfeit at 174. The run made the match a five-point contest. Milosz Gargol looked to continue that run at 184 but was pinned in 1:38 by William Parker, the NAIA's No. 23-ranked wrestler in his weight class. With only two matches remaining, the Bears still held a 28-17 advantage.
 
Another Montreat forfeit put the dual out of reach for the Cavs before the final match. At 285, Cavalier Elijah Amya-Perez lost by a major decision to round out the dual, 38-17.
 
The Cavs will next host West Virginia University Institute of Technology on Jan. 22 at Pisgah High School in Canton, N.C.
 
(RV) Truett McConnell University 38, Montreat College 17
125: Tate Thomas (Truett McConnell) over Unknown (For.)
133: Tyler Ramos (Truett McConnell) over Carlos Nunez (Montreat) (Fall 2:27)
141: Mikai Brinson (Montreat) over Isaac Hall (Truett McConnell) (TF 18-1 4:45)
149: Elijah Mullins (Truett McConnell) over Robert Branson (Montreat) (Fall 0:50)
157: Chase Bond (Truett McConnell) over Bryson McCraw (Montreat) (MD 15-1)
165: Dylan Hogan (Montreat) over Christian Anderson (Truett McConnell) (Fall 1:37)
174: Josh Mojica-Smith (Montreat) over Unknown (For.)
184: No. 23 William Parker (Truett McConnell) over Milosz Gargol (Montreat) (Fall 1:38)
197: Spencer Fields (Truett McConnell) over Unknown (For.)
285: Phillip Terrell (Truett McConnell) over Elijah Amaya-Perez (Montreat) (MD 15-1)