The Eagles (14-6; 3-2 MAC) took early control of the match, 9-0, with a decision and pin before the Bulls (5-14; 0-4 MAC) recorded a decision and major decision of their own to cut the EMU lead to 9-7 with six matches remaining. The Green and White did not allow UB any to get closer, as the Eagles claimed victory in each of the final six matches.
Prior to the match, the wrestling program honored its six graduating seniors: Lester France, Justin Joseph, Andrew Novak, Corey Phillips, Matt Pettigrew and Wes Schroeder.
Novak completed his perfect MAC season with a pin over Justin Farmer at 133 lbs. Additionally, redshirt sophomore Khodor Hoballah recorded his second MAC win in as many attempts on the season.
After being taken down 20 seconds into the 125 lbs. match, redshirt sophomore Jared Germaine quickly made up for it with a takedown and a trio of nearfall points to gain a 5-2 edge against Max Soria. Germaine racked up 2:39 of riding time through the first two periods and headed into the final frame with a 10-6 lead. The Saginaw, Mich. native fell a few points short of the major decision, 13-7, but gave EMU an early 3-0 lead.
Novak and Farmer started the 133 lbs. bout at a furious pace, with Novak scoring the first points by takedown. The New Boston, Mich. native increased his lead to 5-0 midway through the second period before turning Farmer on his back and notching a pin at the 4:48 mark. EMU took a 9-0 lead through two bouts.
Buffalo's Kevin Smith snapped the Eagles' winning streak at 141 lbs. with a 9-5 decision over Phillips. After fighting to a 2-2 draw in the first period, Smith used a reversal and a pair of escapes to enter the final two minutes ahead, 6-4. Phillips was unable to make up the difference as the Bulls cut the Eagles' lead to six points, 9-3.
Redshirt freshman Jaylyn Bohl and Blake Roulo then squared off at 149 lbs., where the score was tied, 3-3, after two periods. Bohl began the third period with an escape, but Roulo recorded 12 points over the final 1:37 to win by major decision, 15-6, and pull the Bulls to within a pair, 9-7.
In the 157 lbs. bout, redshirt junior Aaron Sulzer put the home team back in the win column with a well-fought 9-3 decision over Wally Maziarz. Sulzer tallied a pair of decisions and 3:26 of riding time through five minutes, and tacked on five additional points in the third period to make the score 12-7 for EMU halfway through the match.
France picked up where Sulzer left off at 165 lbs., breaking out to a, 8-3 lead after one period against Clay Reeb with three takedowns and a pair of nearfall points. With a minute remaining in the third period, France moved to within a point of major-decision territory, 14-7, before Reeb recorded a reversal. The final buzzer sounded with France on top, 16-11, for Eastern Michigan's fourth win of the evening.
Redshirt sophomore Phillip Joseph broke a scoreless tie with an escape of Jake Waste in the second period of the 184 lbs. bout. Joseph added on to that lead with a takedown to gain a 3-0 advantage headed into the final frame. The Lapeer, Mich. native surrendered an escape in the third period but no more, as the Eagles won their third straight match, 4-1. The Green and White led the dual, 18-7, with three bouts to wrestle.
At 184 lbs., Hoballah earned a pair of nearfall points before the first period expired to take a 4-0 lead over Dom Montesanti. Hoballah scored another takedown in the second, and ultimately fought his way to a 9-1 major decision with a reversal in the final 10 seconds of the match to clinch the meet for the Eagles.
Redshirt sophomore Nick Whitenburg then imposed his will on Justin Heiserman at 197 lbs., scoring nearfall points on five separate occasions to win by technical fall, 16-0, just three minutes into the match.
The final match of the evening featured heavyweights Schroeder and Jedd Mason. Schroeder broke a scoreless tie in the second period with an escape, a takedown and two nearfall points for a 5-0 edge. The Manitou Beach, Mich. native improved upon his lead in the final frame to notch EMU's third major decision of the evening, 10-0.
The Eagles will compete in their final event of before the Mid-American Conference Championships Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Edinboro Open in Edinboro, Pa.
Results:
125: Jared Germaine (EMU) dec. Max Soria (UB), 13-7 EMU 3, UB 0
133: Andrew Novak (EMU) fall Justin Farmer (UB), 4:48 EMU 9, UB 0
141: Kevin Smith (UB) dec. Corey Phillips (EMU), 9-5 EMU 9, UB 3
149: Blake Roulo (UB) maj. dec. Jaylyn Bohl (EMU), 15-6 EMU 9, UB 7
157: Aaron Sulzer (EMU) dec. Wally Maziarz (UB), 9-3 EMU 12, UB 7
165: Lester France (EMU) dec. Clay Reeb (UB), 16-11 EMU 15, UB 7
174: Phillip Joseph (EMU) dec. Jake Waste (UB), 4-1 EMU 18, UB 7
184: Khodor Hoballah (EMU) maj. dec. Dom Montesanti (UB), 9-1 EMU 22, UB 7
197: Nick Whitenburg (EMU) tech. fall Justin Heiserman (UB), 16-0 (3:00) EMU 27, UB 7
HWT: Wes Schroeder (EMU) maj. dec. Jedd Mason (UB), 10-0 EMU 31, UB 7
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