Day 1 Results (.pdf)
 
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (Jan. 12) – The Waynesburg University wrestling team logged a trio of matches in the first day of the Budd Whitehill National Duals, which are being hosted by Lycoming. Still wrestling without five starters, the Yellow Jackets dropped all three contests.
 
Waynesburg (7-6) opened its run at the tournament with a 26-19 loss to Cortland State and then dropped a 27-9 contest to Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The Jackets ended a difficult Friday with a 29-15 defeat at the hands of 17^th-ranked Roger Williams.
 
The Orange and Black boasted a pair of veteran standouts logging 3-0 days. Senior Tristan Buxton swept a trio of opponents at 125 pounds, while junior Jake Evans ran his current undefeated streak to 16-straight bouts.
 
Buxton gave the Jackets a 4-0 lead against Cortland State (6-6) with a 12-4 major decision. Waynesburg's lead grew to 9-0 thanks to a technical fall at 133 pounds by freshman Josh Kuslock, and two bouts later, freshman R.J. Hall logged a 10-1 major decision that extended the advantage to 13-3.
 
Unfortunately, the Red Dragons rebounded in a big way, winning five bouts and building a 26-13 advantage. Evans ended the opener with a forfeit at heavyweight.
 
Buxton again gave Waynesburg the early advantage when the Jackets squared off with the Pointers (5-8). The Washington, Pennsylvania, native scored his first of two wins against opponents listed in the D3Wrestle.com rankings by upsetting junior Ben Vosters, who was given the top spot as a "Contender" for the website's top 10, 7-4.
 
Stevens Point answered with a five-win streak that put it ahead 18-3. Jacket senior 174-pounder Derek Hull ended the run with a 4-2 decision. Two bouts later, Evans improved to 2-0 on the day with an 11-4 decision at 285 pounds.
 
Waynesburg's day wrapped up against the nationally-ranked Hawks (9-1). Buxton completed a perfect day by gutting out a 3-2 decision against senior Nick Barbaria, who is listed as an "Honorable Mention" honoree in the D3Wrestle.com rankings.
 
From that point on, Roger Williams showed how they got its number-17 national ranking by running the table from 133 to 197 pounds. Kuslock nearly pulled an upset at 133, but came up just short in a 3-2 decision by freshman Tristan Haviland, who is also an "Honorable Mention" selection. Junior Joshua Sneeringer and Evans closed the day by receiving forfeits at 197 and 285 pounds, respectively.
 
Waynesburg returns to action at Lycoming tomorrow at 9 a.m., when it faces off with Ohio Northern.