ITHACA, N.Y. – A pair of Ursinus College wrestlers remain alive for NCAA berths after the first day of the Mideast Regional Championships at Ithaca on Saturday.
Senior Chris Tan is on the cusp of his second career appearance in the national tournament after gaining the 125-pound semifinals with two dominating wins, and freshman Ben Maack kept his hopes intact with a pair of victories in the consolation bracket at 184.
Tan, who recently moved up to 10th in the NWCA rankings, was the lone Bear to win a match in the main draw. Seeded third, the senior knocked off Merchant Marine's Jace Garza for the third time this season with a 16-1 technical fall.
Tan's quarterfinal bout was considerably more difficult, but he soon found his footing after a slow start. Falling behind 4-2 due to a pair of takedowns by Centenary's Tyreek Staton, the number six seed, Tan knotted the score with one of his own and tacked on four near-fall points for good measure. He added an escape and another takedown in the second period and finished on top by a 12-4 count.
Tan will meet second-seeded Ferdinand Mase of Ithaca with an NCAA berth on the line.
Maack lost 3-1 to Scranton's Zach D'Apolito in the first round. He responded by pinning Oneonta's Austin Carr in less than two minutes, then downed Brockport's Thaddus Jeffries, 16-7.
Maack takes on Oswego State's Trevor Hoffmier Sunday morning, needing three wins to claim third place and the accompanying NCAA qualifier.
Junior Jarret DiGiantomasso won a consolation bout at 157, a 5-3 decision opposite Centenary's Thomas Hinz. Classmate Zachary Goranson scored a 9-1 major decision over Daniel Jerrems of Elizabethtown in the consolations.
Senior Deon Edmond routed Oswego's Jeff Lomardi, 13-3, in a 197-pound consolation bout, and junior Zebulin Pfeiffer was the beneficiary of an injury default in the back draw at heavyweight.
Tan and Maack continue their seasons Sunday morning at 10 a.m.