Gardner-Webb Edges Duke, 20-19, in Midweek Thriller

Wednesday, February 5

Durham, N.C.

7:30 p.m.

Duke University

Gardner-Webb

Gardner-Webb Edges Duke, 20-19, in Midweek Thriller

2/5/2020 10:06:00 PM | Wrestling

Dual Highlights

DURHAM, N.C. – With the dual tied at 13-13, Gardner-Webb won two of the last three matches to steal a 20-19 victory over Duke wrestling on Wednesday night.

Overall, the Blue Devils won five of the nine actual matches after having to forfeit at 125 pounds to go down 6-0 early. Duke rallied back though, winning four of its opening six bouts to knot the score with three matches remaining. Despite redshirt sophomore Ben Frye earning his first victory of the year in just his second career battle, the Blue Devils weren't able to pull out the win.

Junior 133-pounder Harrison Campbell set the stage early when he posted a 14-7 decision over Trevon Majette to start cutting into the deficit. Gardner-Webb and Duke exchanged major decision victories over the next two bouts (141 and 149) to keep things close at 10-7 in favor of the visitors. Rookie 149-pounder Wade Unger jumped out to a 6-0 lead early in his match to help the Blue Devils' cause.

Duke trailed 13-7 heading into the 165-pound match, but Benjamin Anderson earned his 21st career win to add to the Blue Devils' team score. The Pleasant Grove, Utah, native recorded a late two-point takedown to end the first period and break a scoreless deadlock. The two then battled it out over the next couple minutes before Anderson closed things out with a 9-5 decision-win.

Mason Eaglin found himself down 4-0 early in the 174-pound bout but that didn't stop him from fighting back to score seven unanswered points. That rally helped him take the win, 7-4, and tie the overall match up at 13-13. Four of those seven points were from two-point takedowns.

Despite the Runnin' Bulldogs already securing the dual victory following a slim 4-3 decision-win at 197 pounds, Frye made the last bout of the night one he will always remember. Wrestling in just his second career match Wednesday, Frye overpowered Gabriel Pickett to register his first career win, first career fall and six points for the Blue Devils.

Duke will return to the mat again on Saturday when it travels to Blacksburg, Va., to face off against No. 7 Virginia Tech before hosting Navy on Sunday in an out-of-conference dual. Both duals will have live stats available via TrackWrestling, while Saturday's match will also be streamed on the ACC Network Extra.

Gardner-Webb 20, Duke 19
125: Michael Pappaconstantinou (GWU) win by forfeit | GWU 6, Duke 0
133: Harrison Campbell (Duke) decision Trevon Majette (GWU), 14-7 | GWU 6, Duke 3
141: Brandon Bright (GWU) major decision Bryson Neace (Duke), 11-2 | GWU 10, Duke 3
149: Wade Unger (Duke) major decision Anthony Schiess (GWU), 12-1 | GWU 10, Duke 7
157: Taylor Parks (GWU) decision Eric Carter (Duke), 9-2 | GWU 13, Duke 7
165: Benjamin Anderson (Duke) decision Christian Trimble, 9-5 | GWU 13, Duke 10
174: Mason Eaglin (Duke) decision Evan Schenk (GWU), 7-4 | GWU 13, Duke 13
184: Samuel Mora (GWU) major decision Kai Blake (Duke), 17-5 | GWU 17, Duke 13
197: Roderick Davis (GWU) decision Vincent Baker (Duke), 4-3 | GWU 20, Duke 13
285: Ben Frye (Duke) fall Gabriel Pickett (GWU), 1:56 | GWU 20, Duke 19

#GoDuke