EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE used three pins, including back-to-back falls by Josh Wood and Cole Rogers, as the Cougars won their first dual meet of the season 27-18 over Truman at the Student Fitness Center Sunday.
The Cougars are now 1-6 overall after dropping a 47-3 match to Purdue.
Wood was the only double winner for the Cougars. He pinned Truman's Helmut Rentschler in 1 minute, 17 seconds. Wood followed that with a 3-0 shutout over Purdue's Justin Dinius.
"He wrestles hard. He has great tenacity. He keeps going and going," said SIUE Head Coach David Ray. "He was making some mistakes out there, but that's two Big Ten guys he's defeated now."
SIUE was 12 points down before wrestling began in each match due to injuries at 125 pounds and 133 pounds. The Cougars needed some key victories to make the comeback complete.
"I knew at 165 we had to win. It was a pin right away which was good," said Ray.
Gabe Hocum, at 165 pounds, recorded a first-period pin over Joshua Wells in 1:51. That began a string of five consecutive victories for the Cougars. Deshoun White and Cole Brandt won decision respectively at 174 pounds and 184 pounds.
After Wood's victory, Rogers recorded his first career dual meet fall. The freshman pinned Truman's Joel Geders in 2:21.
SIUE showed signs of life against Purdue with early match leads but were pinned four times by the Boilermakers.
"That makes it tough for the other guys moving forward," said Ray.
SIUE next travels to the Midlands in Chicago on Dec. 29-30. The next dual meet action is Jan. 7 at the Wolfpack Duals in Raleigh, N.C. where the Cougars are scheduled to wrestle Anderson, Campbell, Shippensburg, and Gardner-Webb.
"We just have to plug away and get better," Ray added.
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