CLINTON, S.C. – Honoring the first two recruits to ever join the program for an extra-emotional senior day presentation prior to the Presbyterian College Men's Wrestling team's final Templeton appearance of the semester, Jacob Brasseur and Khalid Brinkley's swansong foreshadowed a raucous finish in Clinton on Sunday afternoon as the Blue Hose achieved their first Southern Conference win of the year in a head-to-head war with Gardner-Webb, 19-18.

PC's thrilling triumph over the Runnin' Bulldogs served as a long-term reward for the many near misfires that the squad endured preceding Sunday's match-clinching moment, a 13-1 MD dominated by heavyweight Malcolm Wiley against GW's Abraham Preston. Zach Wells (174) and Dominic Chavez (125) both aided Presbyterian's winning effort in a crucial SoCon affair, as did Brinkley and Brasseur in pulse-pounding finishes within minutes of each other, sending the Blue Hose faithful out of their seats in the process.

In contrast to a majority of PC's conference duals – falling behind early, storming back from a looming deficit only to ultimately come up empty-handed – this time the roles reversed with Gardner-Webb forced to play catch-up thanks to a nine-point hole dug out by head coach Mark Cody's club. Just as it seemed that the Runnin' Bulldogs would steal another one by taking their first lead in the penultimate bout at 18-15, Wiley ensured the ending was more storybook than catastrophe by grabbing arguably the biggest four points of Presbyterian's season to rapturous applause.

None of the engulfed post-match adulation would have been possible without the early successes of Brinkley and Brasseur in their final Clinton chapter, the former gifting the Blue Hose six points on an exquisite sub-six-minute cradle pin and the latter earning a stringent 3-1 decision two contests later.

Those results – plus a match-opening 8-2 decision from Chavez – allowed coach Cody's group to reach their largest advantage in any SoCon bout this season (nine points). Chavez, a junior who seemingly keeps gaining momentum with each event, improved to 4-0 versus fellow league foes, aiding PC with early steam that only subsided momentarily before being rescued by Wiley's herculean W.

The aforementioned comfortable lead suddenly dwindled all the way down to a 12-12 tie at the match's halfway point, although Wells' 6-2 decision over Andrew Wilson kept the Blue Hose in front for the time being. The redshirt-junior's seventh dual win this year – a mark tied for second on the roster – was the final stop before the spectacular climax in the 285-lb. grapple.

Already the team-leader in total wins approaching the encounter, Wiley left no doubt as he defiantly moved to 15-6 on the year, charging out of the gates for the exact outcome desired of coach Cody and co. in order to put down the Runnin' Bulldogs for good.
 
RESULTS
 
125: Dominic Chavez (PC) def. Drew West (GW) by Dec., 8-2 – 3-0 PC
133: Jacob Brasseur (PC) def. Tyson Lane (GW) by Fall, 5:50 – 9-0 PC
141: Zach Price (GW) def. Trenton Donahue (PC) by Dec., 13-8 – 9-3 PC
149: Khalid Brinkley (PC) def. Parker Corwin (GW) by Dec., 3-1 – 12-3 PC
157: Tyler Brignola (GW) def. Michael Ramirez (PC) by MD, 8-0 – 12-7 PC
165: R.J. Mosley (GW) def. Tyler Chittum (PC) by TF, 18-3 – 12-12 Tie
174: Zach Wells (PC) def. Andrew Wilson (GW) by Dec., 6-2 – 15-12 PC
184: Jha'Quan Anderson (GW) def. Cordel Duhart (PC) by Dec., 5-2 – 15-15 Tie
197: Samuel Mora (GW) def. David Bertrand (PC) by Dec., 5-0 – 18-15 GW
285: Malcolm Wiley (PC) def. Abraham Preston (GW) by MD, 13-1 – 19-18 PC
 
UP NEXT
The Blue Hose found their most fist-pumping result of the year at the perfect time on the schedule, celebrating for the moment before turning their attention to SoCon juggernaut Appalachian State next Sunday in Boone. 4:00 p.m. denotes the first bout on the docket, as PC goes up against the #20 team in the nation according to the NWCA and the fifth-highest ranked team in the mid-major poll.

Currently at 9-2 (with the only losses taken against #8 Virginia Tech and #6 NC State), the Mountaineers will prove to be a tall task in a hostile environment seven days from now, never surrendering more than six points in all five of their Southern Conference victories with a 5-1 resume in their own backyard.