FAIRFAX, Va. -- The Golden Eagles wrestling team traveled to George Mason for their 7^th conference dual meet of the season. The Golden Eagles fell to the Patriots 26-18.

Travis Clawson started the matchup for the Golden Eagles at 125 pounds. To start the match, Clawson got in on a shot early, but George Mason's Ben Monn was able to defend and score a takedown to take an early 3-0 lead. Clawson escaped before the end of the period and took a 3-1 deficit into the 2^nd period. Monn deferred his choice to the final period and Clawson chose the down position and immediately escaped to start the 2^nd period. Neither wrestler could secure an offensive score in the 2^nd period, and the match remained 3-2 in favor of Monn heading into the final period. Monn chose the down position to start the final period and earned the quick escape. Down to the final 30 seconds of the match, Clawson was able to secure a takedown through a scrambling situation to go up 5-4 with 14 seconds left. George Mason's corner challenged the call of a takedown, but it would stand. Clawson was able to ride out Monn and secured the 5-4 decision victory and 3 points for the Golden Eagles.

At 133 pounds, Joey Fischer took the mat for the Golden Eagles. Fischer got to work early in the 1^st period with a takedown via a single leg to a mat return on Anthony Lucchiani to take the early 3-0 lead. Fischer rode him out to finish the 1^st period with the lead and then deferred his choice to the final period. Lucchiani chose the down position to start the period. During the 2^nd period Lucchiani suffered an injury and was unable to continue the match. This resulted in 6 points for the Golden Eagles and a 9-0 lead heading into the 141-pound match.

The Golden Eagles went on to lose the next 3 matches by bonus points. At 141 pounds, Keagan Oler lost by a 9-0 major decision to Tate Hisey. At 149 pounds, Oliver Fairchild lost by a 17-2 technical fall (7:00) to George Mason's Kaden Cassidy. At 157 pounds, Wesley Barnes dropped his match to DJ McGee by an 11-3 major decision. This gave the Patriots the lead in the dual 13-9.

Alejandro Herrera-Rondon was the next man up for the Golden Eagles at 165 pounds going up against Drew Dickson of George Mason. After a scoreless 1^st period, Herrera-Rondon deferred his choice to the final period and Dickson chose the down position. Herrera-Rondon was able to ride out Dickson for the entirety of the 2^nd period, and it remained scoreless going into the final period. Herrera-Rondon chose the down position and earned a quick escape to take a 1-0 lead. He then added to his lead midway through the period after a scramble position to secure a takedown and a 4-0 advantage. Dickson escaped with 15 seconds left and attempted to secure a late takedown but couldn't manage to get it. Adding a point for riding time at the end and Herrera-Rondon won by a 5-1 decision pulling the Golden Eagles to within one point of the Patriots.

The Golden Eagles again went on a 3-match skid in the dual meet, losing two of them by bonus points. George Mason's Logan Messer took out Gabe Lilly by a 9-4 decision at 174 pounds. At 184 pounds, Adrian Gacek dropped his match by major decision to Malachi DuVall by a score of 10-2. Ethan Wiant lost his match via fall to Jack Kelly, giving George Mason a 26-12 lead before the final match of the dual meet.

John Meyers was the final wrestler for the Golden Eagles tonight at 285 pounds, and he left an impression out there starting his match quickly with a takedown on Herbert Billups via a beautiful high crotch. Meyers worked for a turn but was unable to get one and let Billups up to his feet giving him the escape. Billups then tried his own high crotch on Meyers, but he stuffed the takedown and then locked up a cradle and then took him to his back and pinned him. This is Meyers' third win by fall to end a dual meet. The Golden Eagles fell short of winning the dual meet, losing 26-18.

George Mason 26 | Clarion 18
125: No. 33 Travis Clawson (Clarion) def. Ben Monn (GM) Dec. 5-4 | Clarion 3-0
133: Joey Fischer (Clarion) def. Anthony Lucchiani (GM) M. Forfeit | Clarion 9-0
141: Tate Hisey (GM) def. Keagan Oler (Clarion) MD 9-0 | Clarion 9-4
149: Kaden Cassidy (GM) def. Oliver Fairchild (Clarion) TF 17-2 (7:00) | Tie 9-9
157: DJ McGee (GM) def. Wesley Barnes (Clarion) MD 11-3 | GM 13-9
165: Alejandro Herrera-Rondon (Clarion) def. Drew Dickson (GM) Dec. 5-1 | GM 13-12
174: Logan Messer (GM) def. Gabe Lilly (Clarion) Dec. 9-4 | GM 16-12
184: Malachi DuVall (GM) def. Adrian Gacek (Clarion) MD 10-2 | GM 20-12
197: Jack Kelly (GM) def. Ethan Wiant (Clarion) Fall (3:45) | GM 26-12
285: John Meyers (Clarion) def. Herbert Billups (GM) Fall (2:55) | GM 26-18