MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University wrestling team rallied once and nearly came back a second time, but ultimately dropped a 21-12 decision Saturday at Central Michigan.
 
The Huskies (7-7, 0-1 MAC) got wins from Derek Elmore (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem), Andrew Morse (Alto, Mich./Lowell) and Shaun'Qae McMurtry (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Twp.) to forge a 9-9 deadlock midway through the dual, but the Chippewas (3-4, 2-0 MAC) claimed three of the final four bouts for the win.
 
"It was a close battle today," said NIU Head Coach Ryan Ludwig. "I'm proud of the effort each one of our guys showed. Andrew Morse had an outstanding comeback victory that was all guts. That's the way we want to compete - with the mindset that we will keep coming after it no matter the situation.
 
"We are competing hard and wrestling tough. We just have to continue to improve our decision-making in crucial situations."
 
Elmore put the Huskies out in front to start the match with a 1-0 victory over Brent Fleetwood. As both wrestlers stood at 0-0 for the first two periods, the final stanza also ended with a scoreless tie. However, Elmore got the deciding point due to a riding time advantage, claiming the match, 1-0, and putting NIU out to a 3-0 lead.
 
Yet, CMU countered with three-straight wins and took a 9-3 lead. Danny Carlson (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech) dropped a 10-5 decision to Carter Ballinger at 133, Tyler Argue (Matteson, Ill./Mt. Carmel) lost an 8-3 bout at 141 to 10th-ranked Zach Horan and Gabe Morse (Alto, Mich./Lowell) suffered a 5-2 loss to Colin Heffernan at 149.
 
Things continued to sour for the Huskies when Andrew Morse fell behind to Malcolm Martin, 9-4, through the first two periods. Yet, NIU's 157-pounder put together two takedowns, an escape and a penalty point to force overtime. From there, Morse scored a takedown in the sudden victory period for a 12-10 win.
 
McMurtry completed the comeback for NIU with an 8-4 victory over Jordan Wohlfert at 165, knotting the dual at 9-9. Trailing 3-2 after two, the redshirt sophomore Huskie got an escape early in the third to tie things, then nailed a pair of takedowns moments later to clinch the win.
 
The Chippewas again countered the Huskies with two decisions for a 15-9 win. Trace Engelkes (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago) fell to Jordan Ellingwood, 5-4, at 174, while Quinton Rosser (Cincinnati, Ohio/Archbishop Moeller) took a 9-4 defeat at 184 to C.J. Brucki.
 
Needing wins in each of the final two matches, Shawn Scott (Holly, Mich./Holly) got the Huskies' second rally started with a convincing 6-3 win against Jackson Lewis at 197 to set up a decisive heavyweight bout. However, Arthur Bunce (Munith, Mich./Dansville) got pinned by Newton Smerchek to give CMU the win.
 
Central Michigan 21, NIU 12
125: Derek Elmore (NIU) dec. Brent Fleetwood (CMU), 1-0
133: Carter Ballinger (CMU) dec. Danny Carlson (NIU), 10-5
141: #10 Zach Horan (CMU) dec. Tyler Argue (NIU), 8-3
149: Colin Heffernan (CMU) dec. Gabe Morse (NIU), 5-2
157: Andrew Morse (NIU) dec. Malcolm Martin (CMU), 12-10 (SV-1)
165: Shaun'Qae McMurtry (NIU) dec. Jordan Wohlfert (CMU), 8-4
174: Jordan Ellingwood (CMU) dec. Trace Engelkes (NIU), 5-4
184: C.J. Brucki (CMU) dec. Quinton Rosser (NIU), 9-4
197: Shawn Scott (NIU) dec. Jackson Lewis (CMU), 6-3
285: Newton Smerchek (CMU) pins Arthur Bunce (NIU), 1:06
 
NIU wraps up the first half of the season Dec. 29-30 with the 52nd annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships in Evanston, Illinois.