Wrestling | January 13

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University wrestling team (5-4, 2-1 MAC) lost its first Mid-American Conference dual of the season Friday night after falling 23-18 to Central Michigan (1-5, 1-1 MAC). After NIU won the opening three bouts, CMU won the final four to secure a comeback win over the Huskies.  

"The guys wrestled hard, we just have to be able to close out some of those tough situations and turn the tide in the dual meet score," said head NIU coach Ryan Ludwig.

At 125, Blake West kicked off the dual with a 4-3 win over Sean Spidle. West and Spidle were locked at 0-0 after the first period and remained knotted at 2-2 after the second. West secured the winning two points in the third period, earning the Huskies' first points of the match.

In the ensuing bout at 133, Lucian Brink took a quick 2-0 lead over Vince Perez in the first frame before building to an 8-1 advantage in the second. Brink earned one more point in the third to cement his 9-2 victory over Perez, the 15^th triumph of his career.

At 141, Jacob Brya amassed an 8-1 lead against Jimmy Nugent before, in the third period, earning the third fall and fifth bonus-point win of his freshman campaign. With Brya's pin, NIU had a commanding 12-0 lead heading into the ensuing bout.

Kavan Troy earned the first dual start of his career as he faced Johnny Lovett at 149. Troy came out of the gates firing on all cylinders and took a quick 4-0 lead, but Lovett fought back and eventually built up a 15-7 lead as the bout ended. With the major decision win, Lovett gave CMU its first points of the dual.

Anthony Gibson was pinned in the first period by Corbyn Munson at 157, marking back-to-back bonus-point wins for Central Michigan.   

With the Chippewas threatening and within two points (12-10), three-time NCAA qualifier and No. 13 Izzak Olejnik took the mat at 165. Olejnik helped NIU answer CMU, pinning his foe Chandler Amaker in the first period. The fall marked Olejnik's sixth of the season.

Alex Cramer sparked the CMU comeback and four-straight wins with a 16-8 major decision win over Hayden Pummel, shrinking the Chippewas deficit to 18-14.

Ben Cushman made it a one point match (18-17) with a 6-2 win over Matthew Zuber at 184, making it anyone's match heading into the upper-weights.

At 197, Jacob Christensen secured a 2-0 lead over Cameron Wood with a takedown late in the first period. Later in the third and with up 3-1, Christensen suffered a takedown with under a minute left, tying the bout 3-3 and forcing overtime. The pair were scrambling in overtime, but it was Wood who was able to get on top first, giving CMU its first lead of the day.

For the second-straight match, it all came down to the 285 weight class with the score in the Chippewas favor 20-18. Terrese Aaron took the mat for the Huskies and Bryan Caves for CMU. With the match on the line, Caves propelled CMU to victory with a 6-2 win over Aaron.

"Our guys are working and progressing. They're doing what we ask them to do and they're trying to make their way so we can be where we want to be in March."

The Huskies will look to rebound next Friday (Jan. 20) as they head to Athens for a matchup with Ohio (2-3, 2-0 MAC).