PEMBROKE, N.C. - The Lander Wrestling team captured their third consecutive conference title on Sunday afternoon as they took down the Newberry Wolves, 33-10, in the semifinal and won six straight bouts to open up the championship match for a 29-9 victory over the sixth-ranked Braves of UNC Pembroke.

Semifinal: #2 Lander 33, Newberry 10
James Joplin started off the match with a gritty 6-2 decision over Zach Shupp, escaping from a third period reversal to keep Shupp from getting any closer. 

After 125, Lander rattled off five straight bonus point wins to seal the match. Elijah Lusk and Isham Peace both won by technical fall at 133 and 141 before Zeth Brower ignited the well-traveled contingent of Lander fans with a first period pin at 141 to make it 19-0, Bearcats.

Jack Tangen found himself in a high scoring bout at 157 but was still able to secure a 19-9 major decision to make it 23-0. David Hunsberger got back into the win column after suffering his first loss of the year against King with a 16-3 major decision.

Newberry got three straight wins at 174, 184, and 197 to make the score 27-10 but Juan Edmond-Holmes pinned nationally-ranked Devon Rice in 2:25 to cap the match and propel Lander into the championship match against UNC Pembroke

Championship: #2 Lander 29, #6 UNC Pembroke 9
After Logan Seliga did not wrestle last season in the championship match, James Joplin got his chance to face the fifth-ranked wrestler and did not let the opportunity pass him by as he secured a 4-2 decision with an early takedown in the first period.

At 133, the bout was scoreless until the third period where Elijah Lusk got a reversal and then after a stoppage for injury time was able to secure an escape from the down position to give him a 3-0 decision.

At 141, Isham Peace was able to secure a major decision against the Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year, Avery Buonocore, using a takedown in the first and second period to get the 9-1 scoreline after riding time.

At 149, Zeth Brower also got an early takedown and was able to hold off fifth-ranked Jake Piccirilli with a 4-3 decision.

Then at 157, Jack Tangen turned the match upside down as he was able to get a pin with just over 30 seconds left to give Lander a commanding 19-0 lead and igniting the large crowd of Bearcat fans who traveled to eastern North Carolina.

David Hunsberger then put the Braves in a position where they had to pin the rest of the way with a 5-2 decision.

The Braves got a pin at 174 but Nate Bukovich fell in the tiebreaker period, only giving the Braves three points and securing the championship for Lander.

Jack Bond officially put the match on ice with a 4-2 decision at 197 before Juan Edmond-Holmes closed the dual season with a 9-1 major decision.

The Bearcats now break for two weeks and will return to action on March 2nd when they host the NCAA Super Region II Championships inside Horne Arena.