LEXINGTON, Va. - With his team down 15-17 heading into the final bout of the night, VMI sophomore Andrew Embree claimed an 8-3 decision in the heavyweight division to help the Keydets claim their first dual match victory of the 2011-12 season.
After giving up six points to start the night, due to a forfeit at 125 pounds, the Keydets (1-0) rattled off four-straight victories by decision in the upper weights to draw within two of the Diplomats (0-6). Embree's 8-3 victory, his fourth of the season, came over Alex Henry.
"It's always great to win," said VMI head coach John "Rocky" Trudgeon, who is now in his 27th season at the helm of the program. "It's a good thing we won six matches of the 10, obviously it puts us in a hole giving up six points to start the night at 125."
In the middle weights, VMI picked up 12 total points in four matches, three of which came by three points or less. Michael Burnett got the run going at 157 pounds, edging Eric Norgard 7-6. Carry Joseph recorded the Keydets' largest margin of victory, taking a 7-3 win at 165 pounds over Adam Schroeder.
The run continued for VMI at 174 pounds as Matthew Brock tallied his 11th win of the season and third in a row as , dating back to the Keystone Classic on Nov. 20, as he knocked off Matt Fullowan 3-2. The three-straight victories tie a season-high for the VMI senior, who is now just seven wins shy of tying his career-best 18-single season wins.
VMI's Conor Black tallied the fourth win during the streak, edging out Matt Latessa 8-6 to give the Keydets their first lead of the evening, 15-13. Black's decision brought the 500-plus people in attendance at The Thunderdome to their feet.
But the Keydet advantage was short lived as Diplomat Colin Ely tallied a 10-1 major decision, putting Franklin & Marshall back on top 17-15, opening the gates for Embree's match-clinching victory in the final bout of the evening.
"Embree hasn't had many opportunities, he was behind Josh Wine last year and didn't get a whole lot of matches in, but he's a good wrestler, scholastically a good wrestler and he's up a weight at heavyweight and we feel like he's going to have a good year," said Trudgeon.
After VMI gave up six points at 125 pounds, the Keydets got their first win of the night at 133 pounds as Ryan Goodsell pulled out a 6-3 decision over Robert Ruiz to cut the Diplomat lead in half, 6-3.
The Keydets are idle until next Friday when they host Southern Conference foe Campbell University at 7:30 in The Thunderdome at Cocke Hall.
Agate:
VMI - 18
Franklin & Marshall - 17
Attendance: 557
Bout-by-Bout Winner def. Loser Type Score - Running Score: (VMI-F&M)
125 Pounds: David Hersberg (F&M) wins by Forfeit (0-6)
133 Pounds: Ryan Goodsell (VMI) def. Robert Ruiz (F&M) dec. 6-3 ( 3-6)
141 Pounds: Richard Durso (F&M) def. Zeb Stewart (VMI) Major Dec. 11-2 (3-10)
149 Pounds: Andrew Murano (F&M) def. David Yost (VMI) Dec. 8-9 (3-13)
157 Pounds: Michael Burnett (VMI) def. Eric Norgard (F&M) Dec. 7-6 (6-13)
165 Pounds: Carry Joseph (VMI) def. Adam Schreder (F&M) Dec. 7-3 (9-13)
174 Pounds: Matthew Brock (VMI) def. Matth Fullowan (F&M) Dec. 3-2 (12-13)
184 Pounds: Conor Black (VMI) def. Matt Latessa (F&M) Dec. 8-6 (15-13)
197 Pounds: Colin Ely (F&M) def. John Dommert (VMI) Major Dec. (15-17)
285 Pounds: Andrew Embree (VMI) def. Alex Henry (F&M) Dec. 8-3 (18-17)
