Wheeling, W. Va. - As the road to the NCAA Super Regional winds down, the Wheeling University Wrestling team (1-4, 0-3) hosts one final dual before they hit the national stage next week. They are set to host rival West Liberty on Tuesday in dual action. The last time Wheeling was in the Alma Grace McDonough Center they picked up their first dual win since 2019 and they look to keep that momentum going against their rivals.
The Cardinals took their show on the road Saturday when they competed in a non-conference dual meet against Tiffin. They fell 48-6 in the dual meet with both of their wrestlers battling hard in their matches. Brennon Reid and Clarouly Meca each took the mat in the 157-pound weight class and the 285-pound class, respectively. The lone win on the night came from Chase Montgomery, who earned a forfeit win in the 133-pound weight class.
The first official match of the night came at the 157-pound weight class as Reid battled Tiffin's Dyaln Mansor. He kept it close throughout the afternoon, trailing by no more than three points at any time during the match. He picked up an 8-3 decision earlier this week against Bluefield State and was on the verge of picking up another win. However, it was not meant to be as he fell in an 8-5 decision but showed what he can do against some tough outside competition.
At the 285-pound weight class, Meca came in with momentum on his side after grabbing his fifth pin of the season last time out against Bluefield State. He would battle Tiffin's David Henson and scored an early point on an escape. However, that is all he could manage as he fell in a 7-1 decision that brought the final team score to 48-6. Meca continues to be one of Wheeling's most consistent performers on the mat this season as he builds himself up for regionals.
The Cardinals have just one more dual meet before they get ready for the NCAA Super Regionals on February 26th. The top three finishers from each weight class will advance to the Nationals, which will be held in St. Louis, Missouri March 11th, and 12th. Wheeling is hoping to send wrestlers there for the first time since 2019, but they face some stiff competition ahead of them. Wheeling looks to be on top of their game heading into Regionals and a battle with one of the best teams in the country is what they need to get that momentum on their side.
The History
The rivalry between Wheeling and West Liberty dates back to the 2014 season and has seen Wheeling win five of the seven all-time matches between the two teams. When the two teams meet in Wheeling, the Cardinals are 3-1 compared to a 2-1 record when the teams meet in West Liberty. The Hilltoppers took the last matchup, but the Cardinals won five straight games prior to that meeting.
In their last meeting, it was West Liberty that prevailed in a 46-0 win. Wheeling looks to turn the tides this time and put together some strong matches throughout the night.
The Details
Tuesday night's dual is scheduled to begin at 6 PM inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center. You can watch the match live by clicking HERE.
