CLINTON, S.C. – Despite a handful of numerous positive outcomes – a common thread that seems to be wafting through the Presbyterian College men's wrestling team at the moment – the Blue Hose ended Sunday afternoon's SoCon doubleheader empty-handed after competing mightily against both VMI and The Citadel. For the second straight home match, dual play came down to the final grapple before ultimately swinging in the visitors' favor as the Keydets took a close 20-17 win, allowing the Bulldogs to swoop in later and tally a 31-11 result over a partially-fatigued PC unit to close the weekend.

Featuring a trio of Southern Conference squads who possess a high level of talent but without the league record to show for it yet, both VMI and The Citadel were successful in the quest for their first SoCon W, denying Presbyterian that distinction (now at 3-7 overall).

Thanks to a pair of dramatic victories over VMI's Noah Roulo and Citadel's Dillion Roman, redshirt-junior Trenton Donahue continued to display his perceptiveness when in important duals, now just one behind 197-pounder Malcolm Wiley for most wins on the roster with a 12-10 resume. Cordel Duhart (184) joined Donahue by never taking an L in either league tune-up on Sunday, improving to 9-4 on the season (a near-70% chance of a win).

As has largely been program director Mark Cody's team's identity, the Blue Hose found their highest success rate during the back half of the day's opening bout against the Keydets, turning an 11-point deficit into a 17-all tie with only one bout remaining. Duhart, Wiley, and 174-pounder Zach Wells built the three-match streak with two MD's and a standard decision win, although VMI's heavyweight bruiser Josh Evans sealed the three-point escape by a 5-1 margin thereafter.

Another polished group stood in PC's path just moments later, seeing a fresher Citadel unit never trail on their way to the victory (a difference made larger by consecutive pins in the 125 and 133 duals alongside another in the 285 series).

Jacob Brasseur and Tyler Chittum joined the list of Blue Hose competitors to have their hand raised throughout the two-parter, the former doing so in the day's second match while the latter ended up claiming two against The Citadel (adding an exhibition decision to his credit). Chittum, a true freshman, has posted a W six times over his previous nine attempts.

Wells has entered a similarly-paced string of wins too, reaching a 7-4 record over his past 11 matches. By virtue of their respective perfect showings on Sunday, Donahue and Duhart have combined for a record of 13-5 since the team's last Clinton appearance pre-Christmas against Duke.
 
RESULTS VS. VMI
 
125 – Tony Burke (VMI) def. Trenton Dominguez (PC) by Dec., 4-3 – 3-0 VMI
133 – Jacob Brasseur (PC) def. Dyson Dunham (VMI) by Dec., 7-4 – 3-3 Tie
141 – Freddy Junko (VMI) def. Khalid Brinkley (PC) by Dec., 6-1 – 6-3 VMI
149 – Trenton Donahue (PC) def. Noah Roulo (VMI) by Dec., 9-3 – 6-6 Tie
157 – Job Chishko (VMI) def. Michael Ramirez (PC) by TF, 17-0 – 11-6 VMI
165 – Braxton Lewis (VMI) def. Tyler Chittum (PC) by Fall, 4:28 – 17-6 VMI
174 – Zach Wells (PC) def. Luke Hart (VMI) by MD, 9-1 – 17-10 VMI
184 – Cordel Duhart (PC) def. Zach Brown (VMI) by Dec., 9-3 – 17-13 VMI
197 – Malcolm Wiley (PC) def. Tyler Mousaw (VMI) by MD, 22-10 – 17-17 Tie
285 – Josh Evans (VMI) def. Morvens Saint Jean (PC) by Dec., 5-1 – 20-17 VMI
 
EXHIBITION VS. VMI
 
Dakota Price (PC) def. Josh Yost (VMI) by Fall, 1:41
David Bertrand (PC) def. Isaac Dolph (VMI) by Fall, 1:56
 
RESULTS VS. THE CITADEL
 
125 – Blair Orr (CIT) def. Trenton Dominguez (PC) by Fall, 0:24 – 6-0 Citadel
133 – George Rosas (CIT) def. Jacob Brasseur (PC) by Fall, 3:27 – 12-0 Citadel
141 – Trenton Donahue (PC) def. Dillion Roman (CIT) by SV-1, 7-5 – 12-3 Citadel
149 – Ethan Willis (CIT) def. Khalid Brinkley (PC) by Dec., 7-1 – 15-3 Citadel
157 – Thomas Snipes (CIT) def. Michael Ramirez (PC) by Dec., 7-2 – 18-3 Citadel
165 – Tyler Chittum (PC) def. Brodie Porter (CIT) by MD, 14-3 – 18-7 Citadel
174 – Ben Haubert (CIT) def. Zach Wells (PC) by Dec., 12-5 – 21-7 Citadel
184 – Cordel Duhart (PC) def. Micah CiCarlo (CIT) by MD, 14-4 – 21-11 Citadel
197 – Mark Chaid (CIT) def. Malcolm Wiley (PC) by MD, 14-4 – 25-11 Citadel
285 – Jon Chesser (CIT) def. Morvens Saint Jean (PC) by Fall, 4:58 – 31-11 Citadel
 
EXHIBITION VS. THE CITADEL
 
Jacob Silka (CIT) def. Khalid Brinkley (PC) by TF, 15-0
Anthony Allen (CIT) def. Michael Ramirez (PC) by Dec., 5-0
Tyler Chittum (PC) def. Aidan Lenz (CIT) by Dec., 3-2
Ben Stimmet (CIT) def. Morvens Saint Jean (PC) by Fall, 0:16
 
UP NEXT
Five dates linger through the rest of Presbyterian's 2023 SoCon trek, two of them taking place from their home site. The first of that pair stands less than a week out, turning their attention to the Chattanooga Mocs this Friday – January 27 – at 6:00 p.m.

Thought to be a top contender in the conference before the season's beginning, UTC has lived up to that moniker in the early stages of league action behind two wins over VMI and Davidson by a total score of 69-12. In between those meetings, the Mocs narrowly fell to 24^th-ranked West Virginia in Tennessee by a six-point clip (22-16).