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COLLEGE WRESTLING: ATHENS GRAD COURTNEY FINSHES FOURTH AT ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS; FALLS JUST SHY OF NCAA AUTOMATIC BERTH (2021-02-28)

Valley Sports Report
RALEIGH, N.C. - For the second year in a row, longtime rival Cole Matthews of Pitt kept Athens grad Brian Courtney from earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships with a 14-5 decision in the third-place match in the 141-pound bracket here at the Atlantic Coast Conference wrestling championships.

Courtney, who beat Matthews 3-1 in Virginia's dual win over Pittsburgh last month, now must wait to see if earns a wild card berth to the NCAA Championships later this month.

Courtney, the third seed, and Matthews, the fourth seed, have a storied history. Matthews topped Courtney in the PIAA finals in 2015, but Courtney came back a 9-3 win over Matthews in the semifinals. Courtney then beat current Iowa standout Max Murin, 3-2, to win the first of his two state titles.

Matthews has dominated the rivalry at the collegiate level, winning four of their five meetings. Last year, Matthews beat Courtney three times, including a 3-1 overtime decision in the third-place match at the ACC Championships.

Today, Matthews got off to a fast start. After a quick takedown put Matthews up 2-0, Courtney escaped only to have Matthews lift him and take him straight to his back for a six-point move and an 8-1 lead just 75 seconds into the bout.

Matthews registered another takedown, and led 10-3 after the first period. He scored his final takedown midway through the second period for a 13-3 lead. All five of Courtney's points came on escapes.

Courtney started his day with a 16-4 major decision over Duke.

Courtney scored a pair of first-period takedowns and led 4-1 after the first three minutes. He added another takedown early in the second period for a 7-2 lead, then turned a takedown into a turk for four near-fall points and a 13-2 lead entering the final two minutes.

Rowland sandwiched a pair of escapes in the third period, around a Courtney takedown. A riding-time point gave Courtney the 16-4 win.

Courtney faced second-seeded Zac Sherman of North Carolina in the semifinals, and dropped a 7-2 decision.

Sherman, who was up 1-0 after Courtney was docked a penalty point in the opening moments of the bout, scored a double-leg takedown about 40 seconds in for a 3-0 lead, then rode top for two minutes before Courtney registered an escape.

Courtney escaped 10 seconds into the second period to trim the deficit to 3-2, and the duo remained on their feet for the remainder of the period.

Courtney rode top for the first 95 seconds of the third period, but Sherman escaped and then scored a takedown. The riding-time point gave Sherman the 7-2 win.

In the consolation semifinals, Courtney gave up an early takedown, but rallied for a 7-2 win.

Hillegas registered his takedown just 22 seconds into the bout, but Courtney was able to escape about 20 seconds later.

Hillegas rode top for the first 80 seconds on the second period, before Courtney escape to tie it at 2-2. With 20 seconds remaining, Hillegas got in on Courtney on a single-leg, but Courtney was able to cut the corner and score the takedown with 14 seconds left to take a 4-2 lead entering the final two minutes.

The duo started neutral in the third period, and Courtney scored a quick takedown for a 6-2 lead. He rode Hillegas the remainder of the period to erase his riding-time advantage. Hillegas was penalized for stalling late in the period to provide the final margin.

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IN PHOTO: Brian Courtney.


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