VMI jumped out to a quick lead in front of a packed Cocke Hall, taking a 6-0 lead with decisions at 157 and 165 to open the match.
The Bulldogs kept their poise and began to take control with victories in five of the next six contests to silence the home crowd.
Chad Davis stemmed the tide by scoring a 10-6 win over Dustin McCabe in the 174-pound match and Brandon Beach brought Gardner-Webb even at 6-6 with an 8-4 decision at 184 pounds.
The ‘Dogs took the lead for good on a first-period pin fall victory from Brent Blackwell as the 197-pound grappler stuck Niels Madsen just 1:22 into the contest to double up the Keydets by a 12-6 score.
The lead shrunk to just three-points as VMI earned a decision in the heavyweight match but a forfeit victory at 125 pounds put Gardner-Webb up by an 18-9 spread with just three bouts remaining.
Josh Pniewski added to the lead with a 7-2 decision over Brandon Stillo at 133 pounds. The 18th-ranked wrestler upped his season win total to seven with the victory.
Daniel Elliott capped the night for the Bulldogs by pinning the 2004 Southern Conference Champion Sam Alvarenga 1:07 into the second frame. The victory improved 17th-ranked Elliott's record to 11-1 on the year and finished off the 27-13 win for Gardner-Webb.
Gardner-Webb now stands at 3-5 over eight dual matches this season after scoring victories at James Madison and VMI on the Virginia roadswing. The Bulldogs will hit the mats again on Dec. 10 as they compete with Indiana, Eastern Michigan and Eastern Illinois at the IU Duals in Bloomington, Ind.
Gardner-Webb Def. VMI, 27-13
125- (GWU) Cortney Roberts won by forfeit
133- (GWU) Josh Pniewski dec. Brandon Stillo, 7-2
141- (VMI) David Metzler maj. dec. A.J. Renteria, 13-5
149- (GWU) Daniel Elliott pin fall Sam Alvarenga, 4:07
157- (VMI) Tommy Cunningham dec. Adam Glaser, 3-2
165- (VMI) Chris Hardy dec. Paul Florio, 7-4
174- (GWU) Chad Davis dec. Dustin McCabe, 10-6
184- (GWU) Brandon Beach dec. Kyle Elgert, 8-4
197- (GWU) Brent Blackwell pin fall Niels Madsen, 1:22
285- (VMI) Scott Buhman dec. Brandon Schweitzer, 8-2
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