Maryland had a chance to shutout back-to-back opponents in dual meets late in Friday’s bout with Morgan State.

The Terps were a few seconds and a position away. They dismantled the Bears, 43-3, with Morgan State getting a decision win at 174-pounds in a razor-close match to avoid the shutout.

Maryland picked up its most dual points scored since 2014, getting five tech falls and two pins — good for bonus points in seven of the 10 matches.

“I think our guys got a little swagger,” coach Alex Clemsen said. “They’re starting to have a little more faith, and that’s fun. We’ll see when we’re tested. Faith is easy when it’s easy. We’ll see when it’s hard.”

Tyler Garvin gets first bonus points as a Terp

Maryland didn’t get a lot of production from its 125-pound wrestlers last season in dual meets. They only won two matches — and in one of those their opponent didn’t have a wrestler.

Three dual meets into his Terps wrestling career, Tyler Garvin’s already surpassed that mark. The freshman dismantled Julian Dawson on Friday night, winning by tech fall in a dominant showing to improve his dual record to 3-0.

[Maryland wrestling’s weight class changes have led to a hot start]

In his match against Dawson, Garvin got on the board quickly. A takedown in the first 30 seconds of the match gave him a 3-0 lead, and he rode out the remainder of the period.

Garvin started from the bottom in the second, but he escaped and went back to work. The freshman transitioned from a single-leg attempt to Dawson’s back, taking a 7-0 lead, and proceeded to pick up another point with heavy top control after his opponent got called for stalling.

Garvin piled it on in the third. Hunting the technical fall victory, he employed a catch-and-release strategy with takedowns, letting Dawson up every time that he got him down so he could shoot again. Three takedowns later, he had his first tech fall win of his career — a 17-2 mauling.

Dario Lemus picks up his first collegiate pin

Lemus was a cardio monster in his freshman year for Maryland. He didn’t have any pins, but that wasn’t the way he wrestled — he would break down opponents with relentless attacks, shooting takedowns until the match was over.

Now, as a redshirt freshman, Lemus appears to have added a new element to his game. On top of the overwhelming pressure, he’s finishing matches with pins, which is exactly what he did against Myrin Nixon.

[Maryland wrestling’s John Martin Best, Chase Mielnik have been successful in earned roles]

The bout started in the typical Lemus fashion. He stayed on his front foot, backing Nixon up and shooting single and double legs until they got through. He overpowered Nixon on multiple occasions, picking up three takedowns in the first for a 9-2 lead.

Lemus kept the pressure up in the second, and Nixon crumbled. Lemus was able to flip Nixon to his back during a scramble, pinning him to the mat for his first fall win as a Terp.

Chase Mielnik stays hot with quick finish

Chase Mielnik has been rolling recently in his new weight class. He was 3-1 in his last four matches heading into Maryland’s dual with Morgan State, with a pin in his last outing.

Against Eric Washington Jr., Mielnik didn’t waste time. Twenty seconds into the match, Mielnik defended a shot from Washington, got underhooks and slammed him to the mat in one quick motion. Washington tried to fight it, but Mielnik was too strong. He kept Washington’s shoulders on the mat for long enough to get his second straight pin.

“I kind of expected that he was going to take that shot,” Mielnik said. “I knew if I just kept my hands down, that I can put him into the position … I think this team is just different, especially from any team we’ve had before.”

Clemsen had nothing but praise for Mielnik after his performance.

“It was a great 27 seconds,” the coach said. “Chase is fun to coach. He’s a great kid. I’ve said this before — I would let Chase date my daughter.”