Feb. 28, 2002

The Duke University wrestling team snapped a six match losing streak with a 42-6 win over Gardner-Webb. The Blue Devils won nine of the 10 matches, including three wins by fall and three major decision victories. Duke is now 6-8 overall, while Gardner-Webb is 3-12 on the year.

Duke opened the night with a win by forfeit at 157-lbs. Mike Mitchell (Midwest City, Okla.) stretched the Blue Devil lead to 9-0 with a 5-2 decision over Matt Klinger. Mitchell improved to 25-11 on the year with the win.

Senior Matt Hoover (Swedesboro, N.J.), wrestling in the final home match of his career, posted an 11-1 major decision at 174-lbs. versus Kevin Fields. Hoover scored a takedown less than 30 seconds into the match and earned five backpoints during the remainder of the period as Fields narrowly avoided the pin.

Frank Cornely (Pennsauken, N.J.) continued the Duke dominance with a 16-5 major decision win at 184-lbs. Senior Daegan Smith (Washington, D.C.) stretched the score to 21-0 by besting Darryl Scott, 17-5. Smith accumulated 4:11 of riding time, while improving to 21-12 this season.

Gardner-Webb's Jon Richard turned in an impressive performance pinning Duke's heavyweight in 4:57. Tommy Hoang (Cushing, Okla.) received a win by forfeit at 125-lbs. to give the Blue Devils a 27-6 advantage.

Senior Cameron Lawler (Atlanta, Ga.), in his first dual meet of the season, pinned the Bulldogs 133-pounder in 2:05. Fellow senior Harry Clarke (Atlanta, Ga.) followed suit with a pin in 1:35 at 141-pounds. Clarke scored a reversal on Daniel Elliot at 2:12 and planted the 141-pounder for his second pin of the year.

Luke Palmisano (Massapequa, N.Y.) closed the evening with a 9-2 decision over Brian Dixon in a heated contest. Dixon lost two points in match for a pair of technical violations. Repeated hard slaps to the head of Palmisano created bleeding from the face, but the Duke senior kept his composure to secure his 21st win of the year.

Match Results
By draw, meet started at 157 pounds

Weight		Result						Duke	G-W
157		Anderson (Duke) wins by forfeit			6	0
165		Mitchell (Duke) dec. Klinger (G-W), 5-2		9	0
174		Hoover (Duke) major dec. Fields (G-W), 11-1	13	0
184		Cornely (Duke) major dec. Mays (G-W), 16-5	17	0
197		Smith (Duke) major dec. Scott (G-W), 17-5	21	0
HWT		Richard (G-W) WBF Karnehm (Duke), 4:57		21	6
125		Hoang (Duke) wins by forfeit			27	6
133		Lawler (Duke) WBF West (G-W), 2:05		33	6
141		Clarke (Duke) WBF Elliot(G-W), 1:35		39	6
149		Palmisano (Duke) dec. Dixon (G-W), 9-2		42	6

Team Records:  Duke 6-8, Gardner-Webb 3-12