Kent State nipped the Chippewas, 18-17, in a Mid-American Conference battle, dropping CMU, with its 5-2 mark in league duals, into third place.
The Golden Flashes, who are ranked 17th, finished 7-1 in the MAC, and the win gave them second place behind unbeaten and fifth-ranked Missouri.
CMU, which is ranked 20th, bounced back to defeat Edinboro, 20-15. The Chippewas are 9-5 in duals and entertain Wisconsin in a non-leaguer at McGuirk Arena on Thursday, then wrestle a MAC dual at Old Dominion on Sunday.
The MAC Championships are scheduled for March 5-6 at Eastern Michigan.
Keener, wrestling at 133 pounds, scored a 17-2 technical fall over Kent State's Del Vinas and posted a 10-0 major victory over Edinboro's Anthony Rivera.
"He had a good day," CMU coach Tom Borrelli said of Keener, a junior. "When you're wrestling college opponents it's pretty impressive when you get a techincal fall. He wrestled really good in both of his matches."
The Chippewas' meet with Kent State was tight all the way. It started at 149 pounds, where CMU's Justin Oliver notched his 11th consecutive win on a 7-4 decision.
CMU got victories from Mike Ottinger (174) and Jordan Ellingwood (184) to seize a 9-6 lead.
Kent State won at 197, heavyweight and 125, where the Chippewas forfeited because of an injury to starter Brent Fleetwood. That gave the Golden Flashes an 18-9 lead.
Keener's technical fall drew CMU to 18-14, and the Chippewas' Zach Horan delivered an 8-2 win at 141. Had Horan been able to win by pin or technical fall, the Chippewas would have won the meet. They could have tied it had Horan won by major decision, and the dual meet would have been decided on tie-breaker criteria.
"He wasn't himself in that match," Borrelli said of Horan. "He was trying to score big points and he was really chasing the kid. Our guys got a little too wrapped up in trying to win the dual meet. You have to be yourself. You can't put pressure on yourself and try to force things. I think he got caught up in that a little bit."
Horan posted a 12-3 major decision and Luke Smith (157) pinned his opponent early in the second period to highlight the Chippewas' efforts against Edinboro (8-8).
It was Smith's first pin since the Jan. 1-2 Southern Scuffle.
The Chippewas again forfeited at 125 and Edinboro coach Tim Flynn elected to forfeit as well, which Borrelli said was a "really classy move."
With the double forfeit, neither team was awarded any points, essentially making it a nine-match dual.
"Our guys competed really hard today," Borrelli said. "We lost a few matches that would have made the difference against Kent State. Any time your forfeit a weight class it's really hard to win a dual against a quality team.
"We came back and wrestled hard against Edinboro. I think we're getting better. Our guys are in a pretty good frame of mind."
Kent State 18 Central Michigan 17
125: Drew Dickson (KSU) won by forfeit
133: Corey Keener (CMU) Del Vinas (KSU), tech fall 17-2
141: Zach Horan (CMU) over Anthony Tutolo (KSU), dec. 8-2
149: Justin Oliver (CMU) over Mike DePalma (KSU), dec. 7-4
157: Casey Sparkman (KSU) over Luke Smith (CMU), dec. 4-2 (SV)
165: Tyler Buckwalter (KSU) over Jordan Atienza (CMU), dec. 11-9
174: Mike Ottinger (CMU) over Jairod James (KSU), dec. 1-0
184: Jordan Ellingwood (CMU) over Cole Baxter (KSU), dec. 5-0
197: Kyle Conel (KSU) over Jackson Lewis (CMU), dec. 6-3
285: Devin Nye (KSU) over Newton Smerchek (CMU), 7-1
Central Michigan 20 Edinboro 15
125: double forfeit
133: Corey Keener (CMU) Anthony Rivera (EU), maj. dec. 10-0
141: Zach Horan (CMU) over Tyler Vath (EU), maj. dec. 12-3
149: Colin Heffernan (CMU) over Patricio Lugo (EU), dec. 4-2 (SV)
157: Luke Smith (CMU) over Austin Matthews (EU), pin 3:32
165: Casey Fuller (EU) over Jordan Atienza (CMU), dec. 6-5
174: CJ Brucki (CMU) over Patrick Jennings (EU), dec. 8-3
184: Vic Avery (EU) over Jordan Ellingwood (CMU), dec. 3-2
197: Vince Pickett (EU) over Austin Severn (CMU), dec. 8-1
285: Billy Miller (EU) over Adam Robinson (CMU), pin 6:22
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