The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team took two matches in a four-match set at the Pitt Duals on Saturday by defeating Virginia Military Institute 25-10 and Davidson College 41-3 while falling to the University of Pittsburgh 22-15 and to Columbia University 30-12.
The Pitt Duals are the first duals on the schedule for the second half of the Eagles’ (7-3, 1-0 Mid-American Conference) season. The Duals also mark the first match for EMU since it defeated Ohio University on Dec. 4 for its only conference match thus far.
Redshirt junior of the 157-pound weight class, Aaron Sulzer, and redshirt senior Corey Phillips in the 149-pound class were the stories of the day going 4-0. Sulzer improved his record to 14-4 while Phillips went 3-0 to run his record to 10-8.
The first match against VMI was, at one point, a 6-6 tie after redshirt sophomore Jared Germaine (125) won by forfeit and redshirt freshman Jake Byers (133) won by decision until momentum swung in the favor of the Eagles in the form of three straight victories.
Redshirt freshman Jaylyn Bohl (149), Sulzer and Lester France (165), who won his decision 15-2, put the Eagles up 16-6.
VMI then won the next two matches by decision to pull in close. But decision victories by redshirt sophomore Nick Whitenberg (197) and redshirt senior Wes Schroeder (HWT) ended the match in a victory for the Eagles.
Pitt was the next school on the bracket, and the Eagles fell behind and could not get back into the match until it was too late. Bright spots in the contest were that redshirt sophomore Khodar Hoballah (184), Phillips, Schroeder and Sulzer, who all won their matches in a decision despite the team falling in the close defeat.
The next bout against Davidson College was a positive showing in the 41-3 rout. Germaine, redshirt senior Andrew Novack (133), Phillips, Bohl, Sulzer, redshirt freshman Mike Curby (184) and Whitenberg all won their matches by decision while Schroeder won his by forfeit.
The final match of the Duals for the Eagles was a match against Columbia University. As EMU did to Davidson, Columbia did to the Eagles by routing them. The match started off in the Eagles’ favor, as Germaine pinned his opponent after 5:17. After that, only two decision victories by Phillips and Sulzer were all the team could muster after losing a few close decisions and falling victim to two pins.
The Eagles’ next match is against the Chippewas of Central Michigan at 7 p.m. Friday in the Bowen Field House.
