RESULTS
 
FAIRFAX, VA. —  The Citadel wrestling team dropped their first team dual against George Mason by a final score of 31-18.

Paddy Kearney began the day for the Bulldogs with a win, defeating Talha Farooq by pin in 21 seconds. The fall makes the first of Kearney's 2019 season and his fastest in his four-year career at The Citadel.

In the 149-pound matchup, Chon Porter defeated Tejon Anthony, a returning national qualifier. Porter took down Anthony to pick up four points and would later add an additional point for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Patriots. Porter would go on to edge out Anthony with a 12-10 decision to give the Bulldogs a 9-6 lead heading into the next weight class.

Rian Burris tallied a technical fall victory over Justin Yorkdale at 157 pounds and added another two points to The Citadel lead. The Bulldogs would suffer three consecutive losses in their next matches, which gave the Patriots a seven-point lead heading into Sawyer Root's match at 197. 
 
Root soundly defeated Alex Donahue by a final score of 17-4. Throughout the match, Root came inches away from a pin but would have to settle for a major decision to bring the team back within three points.

A loss at heavyweight and forfeit at 125 would be the deciding factor to give the Patriots the win as a team.
 
"This was definitely not our best performance due to a pretty challenging week with multiple team members battling illness. It also is never an easy task to go on the road and pick up a win. Luckily we will be home next Saturday and that will allow us to give the team a couple of days to recover and get back to full strength." said assistant coach Cody Cleveland.

The Citadel wrestling team will host Hofstra and Northern Illinois University this Saturday, Jan. 19 with competition beginning at 3 p.m.
  
133 | Paddy Kearney (The Citadel) fall over Talha Farooq (Mason), :21 | 6-0 The Citadel
141 | Julio Alegria (Mason) fall over Ethan Phillips (The Citadel), 1:22 | 6-6
149 | Chon Porter (The Citadel) decision over Tejon Anthony (Mason), 12-10 | 9-6 The Citadel  
157 | Rian Burris (The Citadel) technical fall over Justin Yorkdale (Mason), 17-0 (4:56) | 14-6 The Citadel
165 | Colston DiBlasi (Mason) fall over Dazjon Casto (The Citadel), 6:04 | 14-12 The Citadel
174 | Cornelius Schuster (Mason) decision over Kyle Kretzer (The Citadel), 5-3 | 15-14 Mason
184 | Philip Stolfi (Mason) fall over Jared Zenie (The Citadel), 4:29 | 21-14 Mason
197 | Sawyer Root (The Citadel) major decision over Alex Donahue (Mason), 17-4 | 21-18 Mason
285 | Matthew Voss (Mason) major decision over Michael McAleavey (The Citadel), 12-2 | 25-18 Mason
125 |Spencer Reed (Mason) by forfeit | 31-18 Mason


For more information on The Citadel wrestling follow @CitadelWrestle or visit CitadelSports.com.