The Eastern Michigan University men’s wrestling team continued their season on the road in Greensburg, Pa. on Saturday to take on the Seton Hill University Griffins.
The last time the teams faced each other was during the 2009-10 season, when EMU left Greensburg with a 30-9 win and this year was no different. The Eagles won the meet by 40-11, bringing them to a 5-6 record overall.
With a two-week competition break just before the meet, the Eagles fought to make sure the time off didn’t show on the mat.
Freshman Alexander Calandrino kicked off the evening on the right note for the Eagles with his first career start. The 125 pounder pinned his Seton Hill opponent, freshman Trey Constable, at the two-minute mark, giving EMU a 6-0 lead from the very beginning.
EMU scored many points from Griffin forfeits. Redshirt sophomore
Jake Byers (133 pounds), redshirt junior Phillip Joseph (184 pounds) and redshirt freshman Anthony Abro (197 pounds) all won their matches because of lack of Seton Hill wrestlers.
The 141-pound match went to EMU redshirt freshman Michael Shaw when he triumphed over his Seton Hill opponent, Levi Catalfu, for a first-period (2:09) fall. The Eagles won back-to-back matches and kept Seton Hill off the board until redshirt junior Mike LeHolm lost by a 6-4 decision to Griffins senior wrestler Nick Nichols.
Instead of the usual 157-pound EMU starter, redshirt senior Aaron Sulzer, redshirt freshman Chris Rau wrestled and fell to Griffins sophomore wrestler Adam Moranduzzo by a 5-4 decision.
Seton Hill started to make a comeback but it was not enough to break the 18-6 lead the Eagles held. The Griffins received one more win once EMU redshirt sophomore Alan “Stables” Constable fell at the 174-pound weight class.
Seton Hill senior wrestler Zach Benzio dominated Alan Constable with a 22-7 technical fall for the Griffins, earning the most points on the Seton Hill side.
Eagle redshirt sophomore Jacob Dorulla won another match for the Eagles, when he defeated Seton Hill freshman wrestler Brett Smith 13-4 to take over the 165-pound match.
The Griffins had no chance of winning the meet when they forfeited two weight classes. EMU walked away with the back-to-back forfeits just before the final bout.
With the Eagles in the lead 34-11, redshirt senior Chris Eggert had virtually no pressure to win his match for the team. Determined to win the 285-pound match anyway, Eggert pinned his opponent, redshirt junior Eric Minerd, in the second period, which earned extra points for EMU and resulted in an overall win for the team.
EMU stayed in the area and competed in the Pitt Duals on Sunday. They shared the mat with the Lock Haven University Bald Eagles, University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the Bloomsburg University Huskies.
