Wrestling team can clinch MAC regular season championship over weekend
The CMU wrestling team faces two Ohio opponents to decide the Mid-American Conference regular-season championship this weekend.
CMU opens the weekend at 7:30 p.m. today at Rose Arena against Ohio University, then travels to Kent State to take on the defending regular-season champions.
“(Ohio is) going to be coming after us,” said 133-pound sophomore Scotti Sentes. “They just lost a close match against Kent State and they are going to be thinking that they can beat us.”
No. 6 Central is on a seven-match win streak and has not lost to an unranked opponent since last season against Virginia Tech. The team beat Ohio last season, 35-3.
Ohio opened the season with six consecutive dual-match victories, but has struggled recently with two losses in the last four matches, including to Kent State. A loss to CMU eliminates it from championship contention.
Senior 141-pounder Conor Beebe said exterior factors will not help in preparation.
“It is hard to get pumped up for a MAC match like this because it’s going to be small,” he said. “But it will be my last match at home, so it will be exciting.”
His opponent, No. 11 141-pounder Germaine Lindsey, is the favorite to win an individual MAC title at the tournament. The junior earned a pin for the Bobcats in his last match against West Virginia and is undefeated against MAC opponents.
The Chippewas are coming off a pair of wins against Michigan State and Northern Illinois. Freshman 184-pounder Ben Bennett earned MAC Wrestler of the Week honors with two shutout victories.
“It is going to be an exciting weekend for us, as the MAC championship will come down to these two dual matches,” said coach Tom Borrelli. “It is nice to have something to wrestle for and have the rivalry that we have developed with Kent State and Ohio.”
Kent State
The Golden Flashes stole a victory from CMU last season to end a streak of 10 consecutive MAC titles. The Chippewas look to return the favor at 2 p.m. Sunday.
“They kind of rubbed it in our faces last year,” Sentes said. “They took a picture of themselves out on our mat. So, it will be nice to get a little payback this year.”
No. 20 Kent State has two ranked wrestlers, including returning MAC champion No. 8 133-pounder Danny Mitcheff. Mitcheff is undefeated in the conference with his closest match being a 11-9 major decision against Buffalo sophomore Kevin Smith.
Ohio and Kent State are the last tests for the Chippewas before they host the MAC tournament March 6.
“The tournament is what it is all about,” Borrelli said. “Obviously, it would be nice to win the dual meets, but its more important to do well in the conference tournament and get into nationals.”
