CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Indian grapplers won eight out of ten matches against the Crusaders of Belmont Abbey in route to a 39-9 win.  Belmont Abbey got off to an early 9-0 lead winning the first two matches of the dual.  This would be the only points scored for the Crusaders as Newberry won the next eight matches.

“Our guys wrestled hard to put extra points on the board," stated head coach Jason Valek.  "They controlled the momentum of the dual and did not let up the entire meet.”

In his first varsity action of the season, 125-pound freshman Adam Clayton lost a tough match.  Clayton was able to tie the score at 4 after the Crusaders’ Chris Neidermeir took an early first period lead.  This would not be enough though once riding time was added in to make the final score 5-4.

Putting Newberry on the board at the 141-pound weight class, Taylor Gilstrap secured his first dual match win over NCAA Division II competition for the Indians.  Gilstrap won by a 7-3 decision over Belmont Abbey’s Tony Butler.

Securing a fall half way through the second period, Matt Black added six points to the team score to tie the dual up at 9-9.  This win moves Black’s record to 3-3, with a 2-1 dual meet record in which both wins have come by fall.

A means of consistency, Alonso Azumendi won by major decision with a 13-5 win over Brian West of Belmont Abbey.  Azumendi was able to use his conditioning to continue the pace and score the extra points for the Indians.  The win at the 165-pound weight class brought the team score to 19-9.

At 174 pounds, Quinn Tolbert continued pushing the action in a dominating win over the Crusaders Timothy Stanton.  The 16-3 major decision brings Tolbert’s record to 13-6 with a 7-1 dual meet record.

Newberry 184-pound freshman, Leighton Ellis put the dual meet out of reach for the Crusaders as he added four more points to the Indians already commanding lead.  Ellis wrestled strong which lead to a solid win over Belmont Abbey’s Mark Blair.  Winning by a 14-3 major decision, Ellis’ four team points raised the team score to 27-9 going into the last two match-ups of the night.

Finishing off the dual by adding another fall to his season record was heavyweight Kelly Anundson.  This was Anundson’s seventh pin this season.  With the first period fall over Alvis Scales of Belmont Abbey, Anundson put six more team points on the board to end the dual with a 39-9 final score.

The win over the Crusaders boosts Newberry’s dual meet record to 4-4 and 3-0 in Division II action.  The Indians continue their quest against Division II competition at the East Region Duals January 20 & 21.

Results:

Newberry 39, Belmont Abbey 9
125  Chris Neidermeir (BA) dec. Adam Clayton (NC);  5-4
133  Reimerk Neidermeir (BA) pin. Willie Jarman (NC);  fall 1:04
141  Taylor Gilstrap (NC) dec. Tony Butler (BA); 7-3
149  Matt Black (NC) pin. Tony Viola (BA); fall 3:56
157  Brandon Kelly (NC);  win by forfeit
165  Alonso Azumendi (NC) dec. Brian West (BA);  M.dec. 13-5
174  Quinn Tolbert (NC) dec. Timothy Stanton (BA);  M.dec. 16-3
184  Leighton Ellis (NC) dec. Mark Blair (BA);  M.dec. 14-3
197  Dave Bush (NC);  win by forfeit
HWT  Kelly Anundson (NC) pin. Alvis Scales (BA);  fall 1:25