Wrestling Unable to Keep Pace With No. 21 Old Dominion

Highlights.
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team suffered a Mid-American Conference loss to the No. 21 Monarchs of Old Dominion University, 25-13.

The Eagles (7-11, 0-6 MAC) grabbed three bout victories, including true freshman Kayne MacCallum earning his first conference win donning the Green and White. Old Dominion (11-4, 4-1 MAC) secured seven wins, including three extra-point victories on the night.

Redshirt-junior Vincent Pizzuto continued to lead the Green and White, earning his fifth conference win of the season with a 10-2 major decision over Michael Hayes at 133 lbs. to allow Eastern to take the 4-0 lead to start the dual. In the second bout of the evening, redshirt-junior Michael Shaw battled No. 9 Chris Mecate, but fell short to the nationally-ranked competitor in a 5-3 decision at 141 lbs. before the Eagles forfeited the 149 lb. weight class to go down 9-4 heading into the 157 lb. weight class.

EMU came within two of the Monarchs when redshirt-senior Brandon Zeerip notched a 5-3 decision over T.C. Warner, but ODU responded with a technical fall at 165 lbs. to take a 14-7 advantage at the halfway point of the dual. Eastern continued to battle back when MacCallum earned a takedown with 12 seconds remaining in the bout to nab a 3-1 decision and the first conference victory of his young career.

Old Dominion extended its lead to 17-10 with a win at 197 lbs. for No. 2 Jack Derchow but redshirt-junior Anthony Abro responded for the Eagles at 197 lbs. with a 3-1 decision in the overtime period. Abro notched a last second takedown on the edge of the mat in the final two seconds of overtime to secure his third conference victory of the season and bring EMU within four of the Monarchs, 17-13.

A loss in the heavyweight division put the match out of reach for the Green and White, while the 125 lb. weight class went to the Monarchs to close out the dual.

The Eagles will be back in action Sunday, Feb. 15 when they head to Buffalo, N.Y. to go up against the Bulls of the University at Buffalo. Fans can follow all the action live as the dual will be broadcast on ESPN3, starting at 1 p.m.

Results

133: Vincent Pizzuto (EMU) maj. dec. Michael Hayes (ODU), 10-2 (EMU, 4-0)
141: No. 9 Chris Mecate (ODU) dec. Michael Shaw (EMU), 5-3 (EMU, 4-3)
149: No. 9 Lenny Richardson (ODU) wins by forfeit (ODU, 9-4)
157: Brandon Zeerip (EMU) dec. T.C. Warner (ODU), 5-3 (ODU, 9-7)
165: No. 12 Tristan Warner (ODU) tech. fall Austin Geerlings (EMU), 17-1 (ODU, 14-7)
174: Kayne MacCallum (EMU) dec. Austin Coburn (ODU), 3-1 (ODU, 14-10)
185: No. 2 Jack Derchow (ODU) dec. Mike Curby (EMU), 4-2 (ODU, 17-10)
197: Kevin Beazley (ODU) dec. Anthony Abro (EMU), 3-1 TB (ODU, 17-13)
HWT: Jake Henderson (ODU) dec. Gage Hutchison (EMU), 6-1 (ODU, 20-13)
125: Brandon Jeske (ODU) tech. fall Blake Caudill (EMU), 17-2 (ODU, 25-13)

Bout-by-Bout

133: Pizzuto maj. dec. Hayes, 10-2
Pizzuto got the first points of the bout with a fleeing call in the first 30 seconds, which would prove to be the only point of the first period. The redshirt-junior nabbed an escape after choosing down in the second period before he grabbed a takedown to take a 4-0 lead into the final two minutes of action. Pizzuto cut Hayes loose to start the third, allowing him to earn his first point of the bout. Immediately following the escape, Pizzuto nabbed a takedown and cut Hayes loose for a second time to take a 6-2 advantage. Pizzuto secured a stalling point and a takedown and grabbed insurmountable riding time to earn a 10-2 major decision for the Green and White.

141: Mecate dec. Shaw, 5-3
Mecate struck first with an early takedown in the first period before Shaw earned an escape with just less than one minute remaining. In the closing seconds of the first, Mecate went up 4-1 with a second takedown near the edge of the mat. Choosing bottom to start the second, Shaw earned an escape to come within two of Mecate. Once again stalling was an issue for ODU, allowing Shaw to come within one of Mecate as the Monarch chose down to start the final period. In the third, Shaw was slapped with a stalling call, giving Mecate the 5-3 lead with 1:07 left in the bout.

149: Richardson wins by forfeit
The Eagles forfeited the 149 lbs. weight class.

157: Zeerip dec. Warner, 5-3
After a scoreless first, the first point of the bout was awarded to Warner when the fourth stalling point of the day was called. Zeerip responded with a takedown on the edge of the mat, but gave up an escape with only 11 seconds left in the period to knot the score a 2-2 heading into the final period. Zeerip nabbed his second takedown of the match to earn a 4-2 lead, but again cut Warner loose to bring the ODU grappler within one. Zeerip notched the riding time point to earn the 5-3 decision and bring EMU with two.

165: Warner tech. fall Geerlings, 17-1
Warner notched the first points of the match with a takedown early in the first period, which would prove to be the only points in the first. Moving into the second period, Warner earned a quick reversal to go up 4-0 over Geerlings. Warner extended his lead to 7-0, notching back points before Geerlings was warned for stalling. Again, Warner earned back points, securing a 10-0 lead, while Geerlings was hit with a stall call to go down 11-0. Warner continued to build on his lead in the third period with a takedown, but he cut Geerlings loose for his first point of the bout. Geerlings gave up another stall point along with a takedown as Warner nabbed a 17-1 technical fall for ODU.

174: MacCallum dec. Coburn, 3-1
After a scoreless first, Coburn escaped early in the second period to earn the 1-0 lead over MacCallum. MacCallum knotted the score at 1-1 when Coburn was hit with a stalling call and earned a takedown on the edge of the mat with just seconds remaining to earn the 3-1 victory.

184: Derchow dec. Curby, 4-2
For the third time in the dual, fans saw a scoreless first period before Curby chose down and earned the escape point to take the first lead of the match. Derchow responded with a takedown to take a 2-1 lead. Curby knotted the score at 1-1 with an escape to close out the second period. Derchow quickly nabbed the escape point , holding the riding time advantage with a 3-2 lead. Derchow was able to sustain his 1:02 of riding to earn a 4-2 decision.

197: Abro dec. Beazley, 3-1
Again, an escape point in the second period was the first points of the bout as Beazley started down to start the period. Abro knotted the score at 1-1 with an escape to start the third period with riding time not being a factor. Neither grappler was able to earn any further points in the remaining minutes, sending the bout into overtime. With just two seconds left in overtime Abro grabbed a takedown to notch a 3-1 decision for the Green and White.

HWT: Henderson dec. Hutchison, 6-1
With the final seconds winding down in the first period, Henderson earned the first points of the bout with a takedown. Henderson extended his lead to 5-0 with back points in the second period before Hutchison earned his first point with an escape. Henderson secured the riding time point to grab a 6-1 win.

125: Jeske tech. fall Caudill, 17-2
Jeske nabbed a takedown to take the early 2-0 lead before extending it to 5-0 with back points in the first period. Caudill garnered the escape point in the first but Jeske responded with an impressive takedown and back points to go up 10-1. Jeske added a third takedown and back points to take a 15-1 advantage. Caudill continued to fight, earning an escape point in the third period. Despite his best efforts, Caudill was unable to fight back any further as Jeske earned the 17-2 technical fall.

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Players Mentioned

Anthony Abro

Blake Caudill

Mike Curby

Austin Geerlings

Gage Hutchison

Kayne MacCallum

Vincent Pizzuto

Michael Shaw

Brandon Zeerip

Eastern Michigan Athletics