March 21, 2008

ST. LOUIS - North Carolina junior heavyweight Justin Dobies won his first match Friday at the 2008 NCAA Wrestling Championships but suffered a 5-3 loss to 12th-seeded Mark Ellis of Missouri and was eliminated in the fourth round of the consolation bracket at the Scottrade Center. Dobies ends his season with a career-best 32-8 record.

After an opening round loss Thursday, Dobies ran off three straight wins to reach the fourth round of the consolation bracket. In his first match Friday, the Garfield Heights, Ohio, product rode a second-period takedown to a 3-1 win over Indiana's Nathan Everhart to set up his match-up with Ellis.

There, the Missouri heavyweight claimed a tightly contested 5-3 decision from Dobies on the strength of takedowns in both the second and third periods.

Dobies and fellow NCAA qualifier Keegan Mueller both return to the UNC lineup next season, as the Tar Heels lose only one starter - senior 125-pounder Drew Forshey - from this year's 10-6 squad.