Elkins, W. Va. – In their second to last tune-up before the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Championships next week, the Wheeling University Wrestling team headed to Elkins, West Virginia, to battle Davis & Elkins on Friday night. The team picked up two wins on the night, but it wasn't enough as they fell to the Senators 44-12 in the McDowell Center.

After scoring six points in their meet last week against Notre Dame College, Wheeling was able to add one more win to their ledger tonight. They were led once again in the 285-pound weight class by sophomore Clarouly Meca, and had three different wrestlers take the mat on the night. Austin Mele wrestled in the 157-pound weight class, River Pappas took the matt in the 197-pound weight class, and Meca rounded things out in the 285-pound weight class.

Through the first eight bouts of the night, Wheeling could not find their way to the end. They had to forfeit several matches due to injuries, and th points kept going to Davis & Elkins. However, the last two matches of the night would go Wheeling's way as Pappas and Meca took the matt.
Pappas was up first in the 197-pound match, competing in his third event of the year for the Cardinals. He competed in the Findly Open before break, and then competed at the Notre Dame dual last week. He had not yet picked up a win, going 0-3 in his three matches, but he would be able to pick up his first win on Friday. He won via forfeit in the 197-pound match, and moves to 1-3 on the season. That win moved the score to 44-6 with one match to go, and it was a rematch of the first meeting between the two teams. Clarouly Meca has been one of the most consistent wrestlers for Wheeking this season, and he was going up against Joshua Sanders for D&E.

In that match-up last season, Meca would get the win picking up a pinfall at the 2:05 mark of the first period. On Friday, it would be a similar result as Meca once again won via pinfall over Saunders. Meca now improves his season record to 6-4 through his first 10 matches of the season. Of those six wins, four have come via pinfall as Meca continues to show his dominance of the heavyweight class. He is second on the team in eins this season behind Brennon Reid and has momentum on his side heading into next week's events. Wheeling now has one more dual event before the MEC Championships as they try and continue to grow the program.

The Wheeling University Wrestling team is back in action on Wednesday, January 26^th, when they take on Fairmont State at 6 PM.