Wrestling Sweeps Lindenwood 49-0, Notches Highest Team Score in History

LITTLE ROCK – The Little Rock wrestling team earned their first perfect sweep in a dual this evening against Lindenwood, winning all ten bouts to put up a score of 49-0. The mark is the highest team score in program history.

Earlier this season, the Trojans put up 41 points against Ouachita Baptist in their home opener, giving up one loss, but this time around Little Rock took every single match and earned bonus points in eight of those ten individual wins for a thrilling night at the Jack Stephens Center. The Trojans recorded four pins, three technical falls and a major decision to seal the deal with confidence in a great way to kick off their four-match homestand and first of two matches this weekend.

"When you're scoring 49 points in a dual, you're doing something right," said head coach Neil Erisman. "I was happy for the guys tonight. We've really focused on things on top lately, looking for turns, cradles and pins. The guys were getting after it. We got on them early and we stayed on them, and it showed."

"Coming off the Scuffle, we found a little confidence," Coach Erisman added, referring to the team's success at the tournament that opened the calendar year. "We've got to roll with that and protect that. We've also got to keep doing something we haven't done. We did that tonight, and we have to do that next time."
 

Our first sweep and our highest team score in program history.

Good day to be a Trojan.#LittleRocksTeam | #ROCKedUp pic.twitter.com/BBHOHtBiNr

— Little Rock Wrestling (@LittleRockWRES) January 14, 2023

Jeremiah Reno got the action going early at 125 pounds, starting the dual with a pin in the second period after commanding an 11-3 lead in the first three minutes. Matty Bianchi was the next wrestler to earn a fall for Little Rock and also the quickest, hitting a solid takedown within the first minute and sticking his opponent in just a minute and 12 seconds. Notably, it was Bianchi's first fall of the season and as a Trojan.

In his first appearance back on the mat since November, Tyler Brennan came back with a vengeance, collecting several back points before finding his pin in the second period, the 11th of his career. Finally, Josiah Hill ended the dual in the best way possible, in the first period off one takedown just like his teammate earlier. It was his third fall of the season for the ranked heavyweight, which leads the team.

Three Trojans also put on a clinic with technical falls against opponents: Jayden Carson, Triston Wills, and Mason Diel.

Carson, going up another weight class after moving from 125 pounds to 133 pounds for the Southern Scuffle, showed off some clean tilts, including three separate four-point near falls before ending the match in the second period. The nationally ranked Wills looked confident from the get-go, rolling his foe around the mat mercilessly and earning the tech fall in the first period. Finally, Diel collected his in full time thanks to a busy third period full of cuts and takedowns, his second technical fall in his young career.

Also earning bonus points for the team, Ty Lukens fought until the finish of his match at 197 pounds, up 6-4 after the second period but extending his lead with a gutsy takedown and back points in the third to walk away with the 13-5 major decision.

More Trojan action is on the horizon. Little Rock will welcome Oregon State to the Jack Stephens Center this Sunday, January 15 at 1:00 p.m. for both teams' conference opener. View the full schedule here.



RESULTS vs. Lindenwood
125: Jeremiah Reno F Austin Kegley (Lindenwood), 3:54
133: Josh Sarpy DEC Ben Lindley (Lindenwood), 12-5
141: Jayden Carson TF Kalen Napier (Lindenwood), 19-3 (5:30)
149: Chase Tebbets DEC Ben Bohr (Lindenwood), 4-0
157: Matty Bianchi F Alex Pitsch (Lindenwood), 1:12
165: Tyler Brennan F Kaden Charboneau (Lindenwood), 5:16
174: #25 Triston Wills TF Luke Dickhaus (Lindenwood),16-0 (2:56)
184: Mason Diel TF Cody Thurston (Lindenwood), 20-5 (7:00)
197: Ty Lukens MD Ryan Golnick (Lindenwood), 13-5
285: #32 Josiah Hill F David Hernandez (Lindenwood), 2:06

Extra Match at 174: Jared Shafer (Lindenwood) DEC Warren Hoyt, 11-4
Extra Match at 184: Zac Russell (Lindenwood) F Tanner Mendoza, 4:35


For the latest information on Little Rock Wrestling, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockWRES on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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