WHEATON, Ill. – The Alma College men's wrestling team traveled across state lines for the two-day Pete Willson Invitational hosted by Wheaton College on Friday January 31st and February 1st. Rodrick Love was the Scots highest finisher at the event, scoring a seventh-place finish in the 165-pound weight division.
Love kicked off the tournament on day one by winning his opening match by technical fall over Blake Delsman from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville 18-1. Following the early win, Love then faced off against Preston Carlisle from UW-Eau Claire, where he was defeated by fall in 3:55. Transitioning over to the consolation bracket, Love rebounded with a win over Seth Littrell from Nebraska Wesleyan by fall in 1:48. Love then tacked on another win, this time by decision in a close match over Caleb Lawrence from Wilkes University, by a final score of 6-4. Stringing three consecutive wins together, Love then was awarded a win by medical forfeit over Elijah Hunt from Concordia University-Moorehead, rounding out day one for the Scot wrestler.
Returning to the mat on Saturday, Love was defeated in his opening match of the day by Teagan Hendricks from Ohio Northern University, by major decision to the score of 14-3. Love efforts throughout the tournament were enough to place him in the seventh-place bout facing off against Roger Deck of Mount St. Joseph University, in his final match of the weekend. Love once again rebounded after a loss and was able to take down his competitor to win by fall in 3:33, securing a podium finish for the Scots.
Other Alma wrestlers that recorded a win on the weekend included Jushawn Ferrell Jr, Eddie Williams, Brody Miskimon and Aiden Tornberg, who recorded his first collegiate victory on the mat.
Alma will now look to wrap up conference duals this coming week as they will travel, to Trine University in Angola, Indiana for the final dual of the season. The dual will take place on Thursday, February 6th, starting at 7:00 PM.
