LEXINGTON, Va. - In a match that had a little bit of everything from pins to clock drama to back-and-forth scoring, the Virginia Military Institute protected its home venue, The Thunderdome, with a 27-11 non-conference win over visiting Franklin & Marshall College.
After the Keydets (1-3) jumped out to a 9-0 lead, the Diplomats (0-2) rallied and grabbed an 11-0 lead. But the Keydets, aided by a Corps straight from VMI basketball's 121-80 win at home, bounced back and scored the match's next 16 points.
One of the most exciting matches of the evening was at 184 pounds as VMI's Hardy Hendren collected his first win of the year in dramatic fashion. Tied 2-2 against F&M's Paul Alessandrini, Hendren had accumulated exactly one minute of riding time as the third period ended, giving the Keydet a bonus point and the victory.
Two Keydets won their matches by fall as lightweight Dalton Henderson pinned the Diplomats' Jason Bing in just 1:37 in the first match of the night at 125 pounds. Eight bouts later, VMI's 197 pounder, Andrew Embree, sealed the win with a first period pin over Isaiah Cromwell, staking the Keydets to an insurmountable 24-11 lead.
Embree has a knack for drama against Franklin & Marshall. During the 2011-12 season, the last time the Diplomats came to Lexington, Embree wrestled up a weight class at 285 pounds and bested Alex Henry 8-3, giving VMI a dramatic 18-17 win in The Thunderdome.
Henry was also part of the evening's final bout as Keydet heavyweight Juan Adams won his team-leading fifth match of the year with a 4-0 shutout.
Four of the bouts in VMI's first home dual were decided by two points or less, with the Keydets going 3-1 in those matches. At 133 pounds, Mike Flora collected a 3-1 victory over Robert Ruiz while Timmy Davison nabbed a 6-5 win over Gordon Bolig at 174 pounds, setting the stage for Hendren's bout.
But climbing back into the match, Franklin & Marshall won two bouts by major decision, accounting for eight of the team's 11 points. Rick Durso best VMI's Emmitt Kelly 12-3 at 141 pounds, The Dips' first win of the night and cutting VMI's lead in half, 9-4. Sharron Townsend won F&M's only one-point match of the dual at 149 pounds as Sharron Townsend edged Keydet Shabaka Johns 4-3, pulling F&M within two of VMI's nine-point advantage.
A major decision at 157 pounds gave the Diplomats their first lead of the night as Andrew Murano beat Ted Gottwald 13-5. The match ended 12-5 but Murano had amassed over a minute of riding time, giving him an extra point and the Dips another team point and an 11-9 lead. But VMI ran out the slate, claiming wins in the next five weight classes.
The Keydets are idle until Dec. 4 when they welcome Southern Conference foe Gardner-Webb University to town. The league match is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. at The Thunderdome.
Saturday Nov. 16, 2013 - vs. Franklin & Marshall - The Thunderdome (Cocke Hall) - Lexington, Va.
VMI 27, Franklin & Marshall 11
Wt. Winner Type Loser Score (Running Score VMI-F&M)
125: Dalton Henderson (VMI) WBF Jason Bing (F&M) 1:37 (6-0)
133: Mike Flora (VMI) DEC Robert Ruiz (F&M) 3-1 (9-0)
141: Rick Durso (F&M) MAJ DEC Emmitt Kelly (VMI) 12-3 (9-4)
149: Sharron Townsend (F&M) DEC Shabaka Johns (VMI) 4-3 (9-7)
157: Andrew Murano (F&M) MAJ DEC Ted Gottwald (VMI) 13-5 (9-11)
165: Mark Darr (VMI) DEC Rob King (F&M) 10-5 (12-11)
174: Timmy Davison (VMI) DEC Gordon Bolig (F&M) 6-5 (15-11)
184: Hardy Hendren (VMI) DEC Paul Alessandrini (F&M) 3-2 (18-11)
197: Andrew Embree (VMI) WBF Isaiah Cromwell (F&M) 2:37 (24-11)
285: Juan Adams (VMI) DEC Alex Henry (F&M) 4-0 (27-11)
