PEMBROKE, N.C. – Fighting till the end, the Lander wrestling team was unable to secure a victory at UNC Pembroke to clinch a perfect record in the SACC.
Lander now sits 10-3 overall and 8-1 in the SACC. Pembroke moves to 8-7 overall and 6-2 in the SACC.
Although falling behind 3-0 to begin, Lander won the next two matches to take a 12-3 advantage.
Elijah Lusk earned a win from forfeit while Zeth Brower bullied his opponent, picking up a pin at the 5:25 mark.
The Bearcats would concede the next three matches and watch their lead turn into a Pembroke advantage, with the Braves leading 14-12 heading into the 174-weight class.
Jack Bond stopped the Braves streak with a well-earned 5-1 win by decision to shift the match back toward Lander.
Carter Shipp then followed up with a match that needed more than just one overtime period. After a close first period that saw Shipp down 4-3, he would get an escape in the second period to tie things up at 4-4. After his opponent started with an escape in the third, Shipp would tag his counterpart with a takedown, but another escape from Pembroke tied the match at 6-6. The first overtime period would see a stalemate before Shipp would get the final point with an escape in the second overtime period to win 7-6 and give Lander an 18-14 edge.
Unfortunately for the Bearcats, that would be the last points scored. UNC Pembroke would win the next two matches by decision to clinch a 20-18 victory over the SACC champions.
Lander now prepares to return to Pembroke on February 26 for the NCAA Div. II Super Region II Championships.
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