With two bouts remaining, and the match knotted at 12-12, Simpson produced a 17-5 win by major decision over Derek Sickles to give Army a lead that it would not surrender. It was the team-leading sixth major decision for Simpson, who also tops the team with a 25-5 record this season.
Simpson's heroics were set up by Charles Martin, Michael Sprigg and William Simpson, who reeled off three consecutive wins and handed Army a 12-6 lead midway through the match.
Martin, a senior from Carlisle, Pa., began the Black Knights' surge with an 8-4 decision against Orrin Kleinhenz at 197 pounds. The win was the fourth in a row for Martin, who shows an unblemished 7-0 mark in dual matches this year.
Sprigg and William Simpson, a pair of Army's talented freshmen, followed with wins by decision. Sprigg took a hard-fought 7-4 decision from John Grando in the heavyweight bout to level his dual match mark at 6-6, while Simpson got past Jeff Sato, 8-6, at 125 pounds. Simpson's win effectively avenged his loss to Sato in the championship final of the New York State Championships two weeks ago. Simpson, who has won four straight matches, is second on the team with 23 victories this year.
Columbia fought back with wins in the 133- and 141-pound bouts to knot the score at 12-12.
The see-saw contest, which began at 165 pounds, saw the two teams split the 10 bouts.
Senior Jon Anderson gave Army a quick 3-0 lead with a 4-1 decision versus Dustin Tillman at 165 pounds. Columbia responded with wins at 174 pounds and 184 pounds as the Lions grabbed a 6-3 edge after three bouts.
"We're wrestling very hard and with a lot of intensity," mentioned Army head coach Chuck Barbee of the Black Knights' win streak. "We're making mistakes, but we're overcoming them. We're doing what we need to do to win, while continuing to improve.
"I thought that William (Simpson) and Michael (Sprigg) stepped up for us tonight, and obviously Patrick's match proved to be the difference."
Army returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 4, when the Black Knights travel to Kings Point, N.Y., to compete at the Academy Championships beginning at 9 a.m.
*165 - Jon Anderson (A) dec. Dustin Tillman, 4-1
174 - Matt Palmer (C) dec. Chad Marzec, 2-1
184 - Justin Barent (C) dec. Luke Calvert, 3-2
197 - Charles Martin (A) dec. Orrin Kleinhenz, 8-4
HWT - Michael Sprigg (A) dec. John Grando, 7-4
125 - William Simpson (A) dec. Jeff Sato, 8-6
133 - Matt DeLorenzo (C) dec. Tyler Howard, 7-5
141 - Sal Tirico (C) dec. Whitt Dunning, 13-7
149 - Patrick Simpson (A) maj. dec. Derek Sickles, 17-5
157 - Tyler Thurgood (C) dec. Brian Rowan, 6-5
* The match began at 165 pounds
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