The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team kicked off its 2013-2014 season Saturday in East Lansing, led by redshirt–senior Phillip Joseph who finished third-place in the 184 lb. weight class.
In the freshman/sophomore 165 lb. weight class, Devan Marry and Dean Vettese each earned a bye in the first round before winning three-straight to meet in the semifinals as unattached wrestlers.
After having a bye in the first round, Vettese got a fall over Findlay’s John Belcher in 2:57 and winning a 10-3 decision in the quarterfinals to meet Marry in the semifinals.
Vettese would go on and take a 10-1 decision in a battle with his teammate and go on to win the 165 lb. freshman/sophomore weight class by taking a 6-2 victory over Findlay’s Brain Mertz in the finals.
Vettese was the only EMU wrestler to take home a first- place finish on Saturday.
“Dean Vettese won his weight class in the FR/SO division and that certainly gives us some confidence in his ability to compete at this level,” EMU coach Derek DelPorto said.
On, Nov. 16, the Eastern Michigan University wrestling team finished 4-0 in the EMU Duals at Bowen Field House.
The Eagles start 4-0 for the first time since the 2007-2008 season. The Eagles outpointed their opponents 133-28, by defeating Tiffin 45-4 in their first dual and taking Gardner-Webb 33-3 in the second dual.
The Eagles finished out Saturday by defeating Drexel 27-6 and winning against Clarion 26-15. EMU put on an impressive display by dominating its opponents by dropping only seven of its 40 bouts on the day and averaging two pins per dual with eight total.
Eastern Michigan also saw two crowned champions in the EMU Open as both Shayne Wireman and Anthony Abro went undefeated in their respective weight classes.
Wireman went 4-0 in the open as he earned a bye in the first round before the freshman won a 12-6 victory in round two. Wireman would then go all the way to the finals to take a 4-0 decision to earn first-place in the 125 lb. weight class.
Abro also earned a bye in the first round of the open before going against two straight Big Ten opponents in the 184 lb. weight class and went on to win a 9-5 decision to earn a first-place finish.
Freshman Dean Vettese earned a fifth-place finish, while redshirt freshman James Klosz received a sixth-place finish in the 157 lb. weight class, and both Alexander Calandrino and Austin Geerlings received seventh-place.
The Eagles saw an undefeated performance in dual competition from Barber (4-0), Joseph (4-0), Pizzuto (3-0), Wireman (1-0), Klosz (1-0), Geerlings (1-0), and Abro (1-0).
Eastern Michigan will be back in action on Thu. Nov. 21 when they travel to East Lasing to take on Michigan State for the seven straight year. The dual is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. at Jenison Field House.
