COLUMBIA, S.C. - The 9th ranked Allen University wrestling team split their home tri-match on Friday evening falling to D-2 powerhouse Newberry 24-20 before crushing the South Carolina Gamecock Club Team 45-9.

Newberry started off the night defeating USC 44-12 but then had their hands full with the Yellow Jackets as Allen surprised the Wolves taking four of the bouts. NC started it off with a 13-5 major decision of AU 125 pounder, junior #23 Reco Robinson (6-10 record) before fellow junior #4 Nyshaad Hannon (19-7) came back to score a reversal into a nasty pin against his opponent in 4:12 to stake Allen to a 6-4 lead. After a Newberry 4-0 decision win over freshman 141 pounder Quincy Gash, AU came back with a dominating 16-0 technical fall at 149 lbs by 10th ranked junior Drevon Wallace (17-10) to put Allen back in front at 11-7.

Then, Allen's 13th ranked sophomore Ya'Donnis Hardaway (15-12) made his dual debut at 157 lbs but could not finish his last second takedown in falling 3-2. Newberry then took the dual lead 13-11 as they toughed out a gutsy 4-2 win over junior Terrence Mills at 165 lbs. Freshman Jordan Bowser then. made his season debut at 174 lbs. for the Jackets but was no match for the Newberry grappler as NC rolled to the first period technical fall to put NC up 18-11 after 7 bouts.

Allen's 2nd ranked 184 pounder Michael Jackson then put the Adams Gym crowd into a frenzy as he turned a late 4-3 deficit into a 10-5 decision win by hitting a fireman's carry with 30 seconds left and almost pinning his Newberry opponent stunning the Wolves. Jackson's win improves him to 23-4 on the season. 13th ranked Junior Christian Poplous (14-10) then followed with a win by forfeit at 197 lbs to put Allen up 20-18 as Newberry was strategically bumping their 197 pounder up to heavyweight to try and snag the win. And unfortunately that is what happened as NC's John Parker Wilson pinned Allen heavyweight D'Andre Wilkerson midway through the second period as Wilkerson ran out of gas trying to fend off his foe as Newberry picked up the decisive win and take the dual 24-20.

Allen then steamrolled the Gamecock Club 45-9 winning two matches by forfeit, six by first-period fall as well as another hard-earned decision win from Poplous at 197 lbs to get the team's 14th overall win of the season. Picking up pins were Hannon at 133 lbs., Hardaway at 165 lbs, and Mills at 174 lbs with the quickest fall of the night in just 62 seconds. Bowser's first career win then came at 184 lbs as he stuck his foe in just 75 seconds while Poplous followed with his 15-9 win at 197 before freshman Timyris Lippett came through sending the Yellow Jacket fauthful home happy with a 90 second fall at heavyweight.

With the tri-meet split, Allen improves to 14-5 on the season and will wrestle their final dual meet of the season on Sunday at Queens University in Charlotte before postseason action begins later in February.

Allen 45, USC 9
125 - Reco Robinson (AU) wins by forfeit                                 6-0
133- Nyshaad Hannon (AU) won by fall over Will Vaporis (2:36)     12-0
141- Quincy Gash (AU) wins by forfeit                                                 18-0
149- Rob Gemerelli (USC) fall over Drevon Wallace (1:02)          18-6
157- Ian Huck (USC) dec. Moise Toussaint 12-6                        18-9
165- Ya'Donnis Hardaway (AU) fall over Gabriel Rohmeyer (2:30)    24-9
174- Terrence Mills (AU) fall over Daniel Morales (1:02)                    30-9
184- Jordan Bowser (AU) fall over John Hetrick (1:15)                    36-9
197- Christian Poplous (AU) dec. Zach St. Thomas 15-9                39-9
285- Timyris Lippett (AU) won by fall Cap Holley (1:34)