Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, January 19
Olivet, Mich.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Olivet
Eagles Battle Olivet Thursday, NIU Sunday
1/18/2012 3:42:00 PM | Wrestling
EMU goes for 10th win this weekend
Complete Release (.pdf)
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com)– The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team will battle a pair of opponents this weekend beginning with a short road trip to Olivet, Mich. to take on Olivet College Thursday evening, Jan. 19, at 7p.m. The Eagles then return home for a Sunday, Jan. 22, matchup with Mid-American Conference foe Northern Illinois University at Bowen Field House. That dual is slated for 4 p.m.
LET'S DO IT TWICE: Eastern Michigan (9-4; 1-1 MAC) is a perfect 4-0 against the Comets out of the Division III Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) under Head Coach Derek DelPorto, including a 29-6 victory last season, Jan. 15, 2011. The Eagles will look to snap a two-match losing skid against the Huskies, whom they last defeated 18-16, Feb. 6, 2009, at Bowen.
OPERATION: OLIVET: The Comets enter Thursday's tussle with the Eagles having won seven of their previous eight matches. They are 12-4 overall, but will be looking for a win against an EMU team that beat them, 29-6, in last season's matchup. The Eagles won eight of a possible 10 individual bouts in that match, including major decisions by Jared Germaine and Corey Phillips.
OPERATION: NORTHERN ILLINOIS: MAC competition continues Sunday, Jan. 22, at Bowen when the Huskies (6-5; 0-2 MAC) roll into Ypsilanti for a 4 p.m. dual. The Eagles will look to avenge a 21-18 loss last year after nearly making up a 18-0 deficit by winning four of the final five bouts.
Both the Huskies and Eagles are coming off losses in their most recent MAC duals, with NIU having dropped a 27-6 decision to Ohio University Friday, Jan. 13.
At 197 lbs., Nick Whitenburg will go for a second straight win over Mike Lukowski, whom he bested, 5-3, at the MAC Championships, March 6. In addition, Whitenburg along with 133-pounder Andrew Novak will each put their perfect 2-0 MAC records on the line Sunday against the Huskies.
HOT CHIPS: Despite several strong individual efforts Friday, Jan. 13, EMU was unable to overcome a potent Central Michigan University lineup in a 21-12 setback at the Convocation Center. The Chippewas bested the Green and White for a 21st straight time dating back to 1991.
After No. 19 redshirt sophomore Jared Germaine dropped the 125 lbs. match, 12-6, to No. 15 Joe Roth, redshirt seniors Andrew Novak (133 lbs.) and Corey Phillips (141 lbs.) each recorded decisions to give the Eagles an early 6-3 edge. The Green and White lost its next three matches to fall behind,13-6, with four matches remaining.
At 174 lbs. redshirt sophomore Phillip Joseph and Craig Kelliher tussled in perhaps the most exciting match of the evening, with Joseph notching a 7-6 decision to make it a 13-9 CMU lead.
Redshirt sophomore Nick Whitenburg closed the EMU deficit to 18-12 with a 4-1 win at 197 lbs. over Chad Friend. Whitenburg defeated Friend for a second straight season on the heels of a first period reversal and third period takedown.
“We have to be able to adapt to strategic wrestling,” said Head Coach Derek DelPorto. “Central tied us up and slowed us down. We didn't figure that out in the seven minutes of competition and we paid for it. On a positive note, we were a one-point match and an overtime match away from winning that dual.”
WEEKEND FINISHES IN SWEEPING FASHION: The Eagles bounced back from the CMU loss with a two-match sweep over Clarion University and Indiana Tech Sunday, Jan. 15, at the EMU Duals at Bowen. EMU topped the Golden Eagles, 25-12, before claiming a 26-21 win over the Warriors.
Four Eagles, redshirt sophomore Greg Egbert (125 lbs.), redshirt freshman Alan Constable (165 lbs.), redshirt senior Justin Joseph (174 lbs.) and redshirt senior Matt Pettigrew (heavyweight) all made their first appearances of the season in a regular season dual against Indiana Tech.
NOVAK'S RISE TO THE TOP: Redshirt senior Andrew Novak has been a key component to a rejuvinated EMU lineup in 2011-12, posting a season record of 14-6 and a MAC mark of 2-0 in the 133 lbs. slot. In his previous years, the New Boston, Mich. native received spot starts in the Eastern Michigan lineup, but was never a consistent presence. This year, however, he is an integral part of the 9-4 Eagles.
“Andrew is a great example of how things can change in a short period of time,” said Head Coach Derek DelPorto. The sixth-year head coach also remarked on Novak's ability to bounce back after a setback and win the following match. “The key to our sport and to keep improving even after a loss is the ability to forget.; to put it behind you and move forward.”
Novak's most recent win was against Joe Waltko of Clarion in the EMU Duals. The victory made up for a loss to Waltko at the Midlands, Dec. 29. “He learned from his mistakes and bounced back for a big time win,” DelPorto added.
MOVE ALONG: As the season grinds on, the lessons learned on the mat are plenty. It's Head Coach Derek DelPorto's job to recognize those potential lessons and keep his team moving in the right direction.
“It is that time of the season where you continue to get better and learn,” said DelPorto. “It is very easy to drop off this time of the season and we want to make sure we are the team that stays focused on the long term goal of getting to the NCAA Championships.”
ONLY ONE HOME MATCH LEFT: Following the Sunday, Jan. 22, home date with Northern Illinois, EMU fans will only have one more chance to see their team on home turf during the 2011-12 campaign. The Eagles host the University at Buffalo, Feb. 8, in the final MAC tilt of the year. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Bowen.
POSTSEASON JUST AROUND THE CORNER: There's still lots of work to be done in the regular season, but the postseason is inching closer by the day. This year's Mid-American Conference Championships will be held Sunday, March 4, on the campus of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. This will be the first season in which the event will take place over just one day of competition instead of two. EMU will be looking for its first team championship since 1996 and the first individual champion since 197-pounder John McClure captured the crown in 2009.
The NCAA Championships will run March 15-17 in St. Louis, Mo., where they were last held in 2009. The Eagles sent a pair of grapplers, Aaron Sulzer and former heavyweight David Wade, to the national tournament last season and have had 38 representatives in the competition since the 1972-73 campaign.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com)– The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team will battle a pair of opponents this weekend beginning with a short road trip to Olivet, Mich. to take on Olivet College Thursday evening, Jan. 19, at 7p.m. The Eagles then return home for a Sunday, Jan. 22, matchup with Mid-American Conference foe Northern Illinois University at Bowen Field House. That dual is slated for 4 p.m.
LET'S DO IT TWICE: Eastern Michigan (9-4; 1-1 MAC) is a perfect 4-0 against the Comets out of the Division III Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) under Head Coach Derek DelPorto, including a 29-6 victory last season, Jan. 15, 2011. The Eagles will look to snap a two-match losing skid against the Huskies, whom they last defeated 18-16, Feb. 6, 2009, at Bowen.
OPERATION: OLIVET: The Comets enter Thursday's tussle with the Eagles having won seven of their previous eight matches. They are 12-4 overall, but will be looking for a win against an EMU team that beat them, 29-6, in last season's matchup. The Eagles won eight of a possible 10 individual bouts in that match, including major decisions by Jared Germaine and Corey Phillips.
OPERATION: NORTHERN ILLINOIS: MAC competition continues Sunday, Jan. 22, at Bowen when the Huskies (6-5; 0-2 MAC) roll into Ypsilanti for a 4 p.m. dual. The Eagles will look to avenge a 21-18 loss last year after nearly making up a 18-0 deficit by winning four of the final five bouts.
Both the Huskies and Eagles are coming off losses in their most recent MAC duals, with NIU having dropped a 27-6 decision to Ohio University Friday, Jan. 13.
At 197 lbs., Nick Whitenburg will go for a second straight win over Mike Lukowski, whom he bested, 5-3, at the MAC Championships, March 6. In addition, Whitenburg along with 133-pounder Andrew Novak will each put their perfect 2-0 MAC records on the line Sunday against the Huskies.
HOT CHIPS: Despite several strong individual efforts Friday, Jan. 13, EMU was unable to overcome a potent Central Michigan University lineup in a 21-12 setback at the Convocation Center. The Chippewas bested the Green and White for a 21st straight time dating back to 1991.
After No. 19 redshirt sophomore Jared Germaine dropped the 125 lbs. match, 12-6, to No. 15 Joe Roth, redshirt seniors Andrew Novak (133 lbs.) and Corey Phillips (141 lbs.) each recorded decisions to give the Eagles an early 6-3 edge. The Green and White lost its next three matches to fall behind,13-6, with four matches remaining.
At 174 lbs. redshirt sophomore Phillip Joseph and Craig Kelliher tussled in perhaps the most exciting match of the evening, with Joseph notching a 7-6 decision to make it a 13-9 CMU lead.
Redshirt sophomore Nick Whitenburg closed the EMU deficit to 18-12 with a 4-1 win at 197 lbs. over Chad Friend. Whitenburg defeated Friend for a second straight season on the heels of a first period reversal and third period takedown.
“We have to be able to adapt to strategic wrestling,” said Head Coach Derek DelPorto. “Central tied us up and slowed us down. We didn't figure that out in the seven minutes of competition and we paid for it. On a positive note, we were a one-point match and an overtime match away from winning that dual.”
WEEKEND FINISHES IN SWEEPING FASHION: The Eagles bounced back from the CMU loss with a two-match sweep over Clarion University and Indiana Tech Sunday, Jan. 15, at the EMU Duals at Bowen. EMU topped the Golden Eagles, 25-12, before claiming a 26-21 win over the Warriors.
Four Eagles, redshirt sophomore Greg Egbert (125 lbs.), redshirt freshman Alan Constable (165 lbs.), redshirt senior Justin Joseph (174 lbs.) and redshirt senior Matt Pettigrew (heavyweight) all made their first appearances of the season in a regular season dual against Indiana Tech.
NOVAK'S RISE TO THE TOP: Redshirt senior Andrew Novak has been a key component to a rejuvinated EMU lineup in 2011-12, posting a season record of 14-6 and a MAC mark of 2-0 in the 133 lbs. slot. In his previous years, the New Boston, Mich. native received spot starts in the Eastern Michigan lineup, but was never a consistent presence. This year, however, he is an integral part of the 9-4 Eagles.
“Andrew is a great example of how things can change in a short period of time,” said Head Coach Derek DelPorto. The sixth-year head coach also remarked on Novak's ability to bounce back after a setback and win the following match. “The key to our sport and to keep improving even after a loss is the ability to forget.; to put it behind you and move forward.”
Novak's most recent win was against Joe Waltko of Clarion in the EMU Duals. The victory made up for a loss to Waltko at the Midlands, Dec. 29. “He learned from his mistakes and bounced back for a big time win,” DelPorto added.
MOVE ALONG: As the season grinds on, the lessons learned on the mat are plenty. It's Head Coach Derek DelPorto's job to recognize those potential lessons and keep his team moving in the right direction.
“It is that time of the season where you continue to get better and learn,” said DelPorto. “It is very easy to drop off this time of the season and we want to make sure we are the team that stays focused on the long term goal of getting to the NCAA Championships.”
ONLY ONE HOME MATCH LEFT: Following the Sunday, Jan. 22, home date with Northern Illinois, EMU fans will only have one more chance to see their team on home turf during the 2011-12 campaign. The Eagles host the University at Buffalo, Feb. 8, in the final MAC tilt of the year. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Bowen.
POSTSEASON JUST AROUND THE CORNER: There's still lots of work to be done in the regular season, but the postseason is inching closer by the day. This year's Mid-American Conference Championships will be held Sunday, March 4, on the campus of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. This will be the first season in which the event will take place over just one day of competition instead of two. EMU will be looking for its first team championship since 1996 and the first individual champion since 197-pounder John McClure captured the crown in 2009.
The NCAA Championships will run March 15-17 in St. Louis, Mo., where they were last held in 2009. The Eagles sent a pair of grapplers, Aaron Sulzer and former heavyweight David Wade, to the national tournament last season and have had 38 representatives in the competition since the 1972-73 campaign.
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