Wrestling team shutout by Eastern Michigan, 42-0

The Olivet College wrestling team was shutout by NCAA Division I foe Eastern Michigan University, 42-0, tonight at Bowen Field House in Ypsilanti.

The Comets lost three close matches. At 149 pounds, freshman Vince Lahar (Clio) and Zach Donofrio were deadlocked at 2-2 entering the third period. Donofrio was in the bottom position to start the third period. He escaped and then got a takedown. A late escape by Lahar provided the final margin of victory, 5-3.

At 157 pounds, junior Jason Brew (Sparta) lost by a 2-0 score against Cory Mancuso. After opting to go down to the start the second period, Mancuso quickly recorded an escape to take a 1-0 lead. Brew elected to go to the bottom position to start the third period and was unable to escape, giving Mancuso a riding time point at the end of the match.

At 165 pounds, senior Daron Cruickshank (Inkster/John Glenn) led 5-4 to start the third period. His opponent recorded an escape with just over a minute left in the bout, got a takedown and a three-point near fall for a 10-5 win.

The third close match was at 197 pounds, where sophomore Joe Yurisich (Battle Creek/Harper Creek) fell by a 3-2 score. After going down to begin the second period, John McClure scored a reversal. However, Yurisich was able to escape to make the score 2-1 at the end of the second period. To start the third, he chose bottom and escaped to tie the bout at 2-2. The riding time point at the end of the match lifted McClure to the 3-2 win.

Olivet returns to action when five wrestlers – Brew, Cruickshank, freshman Ben Hitchcock (New Lothrop/Montrose), Lahar and sophomore Rob Yahrmarkt (Sparta) – compete at the 45th Annual Midlands Championships Dec. 29-30. Northwestern (Ill.) University is hosting the annual event.