LEXINGTON, Va.- VMI heavyweight Leon Barrow posted a 2-1 overtime victory in the final match of the day, but it wasn't enough as George Mason held on for a 23-22 dual victory on Wednesday afternoon in non-conference wrestling action at the Thunderdome. The loss puts VMI's dual record at 1-2, while GMU improves to 5-2.

VMI took six of the ten matches on the day, but the Patriots got three six-point wins and a five-pointer to account for their 23 points. Those came as the result of a pair of pins, a technical fall and a forfeit conceded by VMI.

With the match starting at 125 lbs., GMU's Joe Coughlin was awarded a forfeit victory when he was unopposed by the Keydets. Instead, VMI freshman Johnathan Pope, originally slated for that 125 lb. match, moved up to 133 where he took on GMU's Mostafa Ibrahim. Pope brought the home fans to their feet just before the second period ended, as he posted his first collegiate pin at the 4:42 mark against Ibrahim to square the match at six.

At 141, VMI's Tyler Anthony also moved up a weight class to take on GMU's Will Powars, where he claimed a 5-2 win to give VMI a 9-6 advantage. That match preluded a 9-4 victory by VMI senior and 20th-ranked Sam Alvarenga against Chris Cartella at 149.

In the fifth match of the day, the Keydets grabbed their largest lead of the afternoon when junior Tommy Cunningham posted his second shutout victory of Robert Henry in less than a week, this time doing so in major decision fashion with an 8-0 score, giving the hosts a 16-6 lead.

The Patriots cut into that margin quickly, as Tyler Tisdell put up five points with his technical fall win over Vince Cole by a 21-6 count (6:09) to make the score 16-11, before Randy Oates pinned VMI's Dustin McCabe in 1:14, giving the Patriots a 17-16 advantage.

But the resilient Keydets fought back yet again, as senior Corry Murray fell just one point short of scoring a major decision victory with his 14-7 win against GMU's Matt Moyer. The Keydets' short-lived two-point lead would fall in the next match, as Harry Zander pinned VMI's Kyle Elgert in 1:14, giving the Patriots a four-point cushion (23-19) headed into the final match.

That match pitted Barrow and Kittrick in the lowest scoring match of the afternoon. Scoreless through one period, Kittrick scored a one-point escape just into the second period, before Barrow did the same in the third. Despite many attempts by Barrow to secure a leg, the match required extra time, before Barrow finally broke the tie with an escape 47 seconds into extra time, providing the final margin.

The Keydets return to action quickly, as they compete in the Virginia Duals on Friday and Saturday, to be held at the Hampton Coliseum. They will kick off the competition by facing Rider at 9 a.m. on Friday. Meanwhile, GMU returns to action Sunday afternoon, as they travel to Washington, D.C. to face American in a dual match at 1 p.m.

George Mason 23, VMI 22

125- Joe Coughlin (GMU) wins by forfeit, GMU 6-0
133- Johnathan Pope (VMI) pins Mostafa Ibrahim (GMU) 4:42, Tied 6-6
141- Tyler Anthony (VMI) dec. Will Powars (GMU) 5-2; VMI 9-6
149- Sam Alvarenga (VMI) dec. Chris Cartella (GMU) 9-4; VMI 12-6
157- Tommy Cunningham (VMI) maj. dec. Robert Henry (GMU) 8-0; VMI 16-6
165- Tyler Tisdell (GMU) tech. fall Vince Cole (VMI) 21-6 (6:09); VMI 16-11
174- Randy Oates (GMU) pins Dustin McCabe (VMI) 1:12; GMU 17-16
184- Corry Murray (VMI) dec. Matt Moyer (GMU) 14-7; VMI 19-17
197- Harry Zander (GMU) pins Kyle Elgert (VMI) 1:14; GMU 23-19
285- Leon Barrow (VMI) dec. Ryan Kittrick (GMU) 2-1 (sv1, 7:47); GMU 23-22

Attendance- 425