Love in the Wild eliminated Jessica Soares and Jason Jackson during Wednesday night's fourth episode of the new NBC reality dating series, which features singles attempting to find love in the Costa Rican jungle.

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"I think [Steele Dewald] and [Erica Scherle] should have been together in the end and even though it's unfortunate that I had to go home, everything happens for a reason. It was not worth it to stay with Jason because it wouldn't be fair to him, and it wouldn't be fair to me. I think that he's going to get a phenomenal girl one day. I am just probably not the right breed for him," Jessica, a 23-year-old retail supervisor from Bridgewater, MA, said after her elimination.

"I definitely came on this adventure looking for that special girl. Unfortunately, I didn't find her. I can't say I got nothing out of this experience, but that's what it feels like, because I'm walking home empty handed and going back to my apartment and my plant Bubba," Jason, a 28-year-old in sales from San Francisco, CA, said following his ouster.

Love in the Wild's fourth episode began following the eliminations of Kym Nguyen, a 24-year-old hairstylist from Quincy, MA, and Adam Rose, a 25-year-old bouncer from Taunton, MA.

Love in the Wild host Darren McMullen then met with the remaining seven single men and seven single women who are looking for love while undertaking a series of adventurous activities in the hopes of winning luxurious rewards.

Darren explained that each man and woman who paired up during last week's episode at the season's third Couples' Choice Ceremony would remain partners for their fourth jungle adventure and later get the option to stay paired up or change partners based on the order they completed the adventure.

The couples were required to search the jungle for seven maps and seven ladders -- one map and one ladder for each couple. Once the pairs found either item, they'd receive a set of instructions which would lead them to their next destination. The couples discovered along the course they were required to find a stream, walk through a cave and find a waterfall -- where they would retrieve an idol -- pick up a horse they must take turns riding into town, and then reach the finish at a local bar.

Derek Leach, a 28-year-old medical sales representative from Venice, CA and Jess Debolt, a 24-year-old travel executive from San Francisco, CA were paired up to embark on Love in the Wild's fourth challenge together, while Steele, a 24-year-old pro golfer from Scottsdale, AZ teamed up with Erica, a 24-year-old self-employed songwriter manager from Nashville, TN.

Jessica and Jason were paired up, while Benjamin Hooker, a 27-year-old MBA graduate from Charleston, SC, and Brandee Dillehay, a 25-year-old mental health specialist from Nashville, TN, were also a couple.

Heather Pond, a 26-year-old public relations professional from Sonoma, CA, and Miles Haefner, a 28-year-old client services manager from Saint Louis Park, MN, teamed up, while Samantha Woods, a 23-year-old wedding planner from Huntington Beach, CA, was ready to take on the next adventure with Mike Spiro, a 29-year-old commercial real estate broker from San Francisco, CA.

Skip Sullivan, a 30-year-old loan underwriter from Milton, MA competed alongside Theresa Trujillo, a 24-year-old Hooters girl and real estate agent from San Jose, CA.

Many of the couples struggled throughout the course. Erica and Steele had trouble finding their first ladder and fell into last place, while Jessica -- who repeatedly admitted she had no feelings for Jason -- and Jason could not maintain control over their horse and bickered throughout the challenge. However, all the pairs managed to finish the tasks.

Derek and Jess crossed the finish line in first place, winning a night alone together at the posh Oasis resort, an intimate fishing trip, and immunity at the subsequent Couples' Choice elimination ceremony, according to Darren.

Following Derek and Jess were Ben and Brandee, Miles and Heather, Mike and Samantha, Jason and Jessica, Skip and Theresa, and finally Steele and Erica.

While Derek and Jess enjoyed their time at the Oasis and fishing trip, the rest of the couples spent time getting to know each other better in their less plush cabins, or bungalows.

Later on, Love in the Wild's fourth Couples' Choice Ceremony commenced.

Darren gave all seven couples the same instructions as last week except for one twist. He announced the women would be given the option to stay with their own partners or switch and get to know someone else first, because the men were given that ability last week.

Like last week's Couples' Choice Ceremony, a contestant would not be able to decline a partner request from Derek or Jess if they chose to split up and request partnership from other castmates, given their first-place finish in the fourth adventure challenge.

All the remaining couples' members were given the opportunity to decline a request to pair up with any castmate, but would risk elimination if not selected by another man or woman afterwards as the last man and woman without a match would be eliminated.

Derek and Jess, followed by Brandee and Ben, Heather and Miles, and then Samantha and Mike all decided to remain couples and continue their Love in the Wild journeys together. 

Jessica, who wanted to explore other possible relationships, left Jason and picked Steele. However, Steele decided to turn down her offer because he had really hit it off with Erica and wanted to keep their relationship intact -- which left Jessica unmatched.

Jason -- now solo after Jessica chose otherwise -- asked Theresa if she would be his partner, but she also declined to accept his request because she was really enjoying her time with Skip. This matchup left Jason alone. Theresa then decided to stay with Skip and he agreed, while Erica opted to continue dating Steele.

Jessica and Jason were then left as the last single unmatched individuals standing and departed without having found Love in the Wild.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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