Wrestling team loses thriller to Alma, 22-16
Before a capacity crowd tonight at The Cutler Event Center, the Olivet College wrestling team fell to Alma College, 22-16, in a thrilling match which was not decided until the end of the final period of the final bout of the night.
OLIVET, Mich. – Before a capacity crowd tonight at The Cutler Event Center, the Olivet College wrestling team fell to Alma College, 22-16, in a thrilling match which was not decided until the end of the final bout of the night.
The match started at 285 pounds, where senior Youssef El-Sayed dropped a 14-0 decision. However, Alma was deducted a team point after the bout for unsporting behavior. The Comets tied the match at 3-3 when junior Michael Schmidt won 1-0 at 125 pounds. He scored the only point on an escape to start the second period.
At 133 pounds, sophomore Jared Brickley put Olivet ahead 7-3 with a 20-7 major decision. The Scots cut their deficit down to one, 7-6, with a wild 13-12 win at 141 pounds. The two wrestlers traded reversals and four-point near falls in the third period to make the score 12-12 before the riding time point decided the bout.
Junior Austin Kelley brought the Comet fans to their feet when he pinned his opponent with 1:13 left in the opening period of the 149-pound bout. The Scots took a 14-13 lead with back-to-back major decisions, 13-2 and 12-4, at 157 and 165 pounds, respectively.
Alma extended its lead to 19-13 with a 21-6 technical fall victory at 174 pounds. Olivet closed to within three points, 19-16, after junior Rodney Harvey won 11-7 at 184 pounds. He used a takedown as the horn sounded at the end of the period to secure the win.
The outcome of the match came down to the 197-pound bout, the last one on the mat between the Comets' Thomas Hall and the Scots' Jamie Jakes. The bout was tied at 2-2 to start the third period. Jakes took a 3-2 lead on an escape before Hall tied the match on a penalty point. Jakes sandwiched two takedowns in the middle stages of the period.
The Comets are back in action Saturday at the University of Wis.-Whitewater Border Brawls. Olivet will face North Central (Ill.) College at 11 a.m. CST, followed by matches against University of Wis.-Eau Claire and Concordia (Wis.) University.
NOTE: The Olivet wrestling program would like to thank the MYWAY youth wrestlers for their attendance at tonight's match.