Eric Kruger (141 pounds), Andy Keller (157), Mike Miller (165), Brandon Sinnott (174), Christian Sinnott (184), Wynn Michalak (197) and Bubba Gritter (285) will compete in championship matches Sunday. Buffalo's Web site, buffalobulls.com, will provide free live video of Sunday's finals beginning at 11 a.m.
CMU sits atop the team standings with 62.5 team points. Northern Illinois is second with 46.5, Kent State third with 40.5, Ohio fourth with 25, Eastern Michigan fifth with 23.5 and Buffalo sixth with 10.5.
Eric Kruger was the first to advance to the finals, earning a 6-2 decision over Drew Lashaway in the 141-pound semifinals. Kruger, the second seed, took down the third-seeded Lashaway twice in the second period. He also built a riding time advantage of 2:02 in the win. Kruger began his day with an 8-0 major decision over Eastern Michigan's Zach Donofrio in the opening round.
No. 1 seed Andy Keller advanced to the championship round with a 5-3 win over fourth-seeded Cory Mancuso at 157 pounds. Keller scored an early takedown and led 2-1 after one period, but Mancuso evened the score at 2-2 entering the third period. In rapid succession, Keller was given a point for Mancuso fleeing and scored an escape to take a 4-2 lead in the third. Mancuso was granted a stalling point, but Keller added riding time for the 5-3 victory.
Redshirt freshman Mike Miller, seeded second at 165 pounds, will wrestle for a title in his first appearance the MAC Championships. He defeated No. 3 seed Jacob Ison (Ohio), 5-3, in the semis. Miller scored takedowns in both of the first two periods in the victory. He was a 10-2 victor over Kent State's Sli Bostelman in the first round.
Brandon Sinnott scored a total of 13 takedowns in a pair of commanding wins on his way to the finals at 174 pounds. After taking down Buffalo's Nate Rock seven times in a 16-5 major decision in the first round, Sinnott tallied six takedowns in a 14-5 major over Eastern Michigan's Josh Lewis in the semis.
Christian Sinnott scored two takedowns and a three-point nearfall in the third period to pull away from Buffalo's Ray Lamb in the 184-pound semifinals. Sinnott tallied a total of five takedowns in the 15-5 major decision.
Wynn Michalak remained perfect in his MAC Championships career with a pair of pins Saturday. Already leading 8-0, he stuck Buffalo's Jake Blowers just 2:04 into the first period in the first round. He followed that by pinning Ohio's Larry Reichard at the 4:38 mark in the semifinals. Michalak, who is 6-0 all-time at the MAC Championships, now has 36 career falls.
Bubba Gritter, the top seed at heavyweight, advanced to the finals with a 10-2 major decision over Buffalo's Jeff Parker. Gritter scored four takedowns and had a riding time advantage of more than two minutes in the win.
Three individuals remain alive in the consolation bracket for CMU.
Luke Smith will wrestle for third place on Sunday after pinning Eastern Michigan's Jack Cassedy in the consolation semis. Smith's quest for a third consecutive conference title ended in the semifinals when he was upset by third-seeded Chad Sportelli of Kent State. Sportelli tallied two takedowns in the first period and led 4-1 after the first three minutes. Smith held the advantage after scoring an escape in the second period, but was only able to add the riding time point despite riding Sportelli throughout the third period.
At 133 pounds, fourth-seeded Conor Beebe dropped a 6-4 sudden victory decision to No. 1 seed Mark Budd in the championship semifinals. Beebe scored a takedown with 11 seconds left in regulation to even the score at 4-4, but Budd's takedown with 21 seconds left in the extra period was the difference.
Beebe will wrestle for third place after posting a 13-1 major decision over Northern Illinois' John Weinert in the consolation semis. Beebe collected three takedowns and a total of four back points, along with 3:40 in riding time, in the victory.
Brandon Carter will wrestle for third place after dropping top-seeded Mike Grimes, 13-6, in the 149-pound consolation semifinals. Carter scored a takedown and two back points in the first period, then stretched his lead to 8-2 entering in the third. He found himself in the consolation bracket after an 18-5 loss to Ohio's Clay Tucker in the first round.
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