Tough Competition Meets Tornado at Day One of National Duals

King defeated MSU-Mankato after winning their final four bouts of the match in succession. Down 14-7 after the first six contests, Matt Bogardus (Nyack, N.Y.) began the streak of 12 unanswered points with a 9-4 victory over Brendan Eichman (174). Brandon Tressler (Orlando, Fla.) followed suit in the 184-pound class with an 8-4 victory over Brandon Pederson. Nationally-ranked Frank Morgan (Maynardville, Tenn.) took Pat Mahan (197) into overtime and prevailed in a low-scoring, 2-1 match that helped King retake the lead from the Mavericks, 15-14. Heavyweight Dondricus Anderson (Macon, Ga.) sealed the match for the Tornado with a 3-1 decision over Nathan Haynes (285) for the win.

Round two pitted King against the nation's top-ranked team, Newberry College. Newberry ran the table through the middle weight classes, taking seven straight bouts to help toward a 24-6 victory over the Tornado. Morgan earned his second victory of the day with another overtime victory, this time against Zach Anderson but again by a 2-1 decision. Jerrelle McCabe (Virginia Beach, Va.) earned the Tornado's other win against the Wolves in a 6-4 overtime win against John McDonald.

The Tornado continued its quest toward a medal against regional rival Limestone College but fell short in a 16-15 loss to the Saints. The deciding match involved Morgan and No. 1 Dan Scanlan and sent the senior into this third overtime bout of the day. Behind 13-12, the two grapplers went to the overtime session where Scanlan prevailed with a two-point victory, 4-2. The win gave the Saints a four-point lead with one bout remaining. Dondricus Anderson pulled away with the win, a 7-4 decision over Charles Weber, but was not enough to force a tie.

Morgan and Anderson both finished the day with 2-1 overall records to spotlight King's individual performance in the first day of the National Duals, held in Springfield, Illinois. The Tornado have been eliminated from medal contention despite their opening round victory.

The tournament hosted to Division II, III, NAIA and NJCAA institutions for both men's and women's divisions and is being held in the Prairie Capital Convention Center. Action will conclude today with all medal rounds being decided.

Newberry vs King College (TN)

Limestone vs King College (TN)