Wrestling team has 3-1 record at Kalahari Duals

SANDUSKY, Ohio – The No. 17-ranked Olivet College wrestling team had a 3-1 record today at the Kalahari Duals held inside the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Sandusky, Ohio. The Comets opened the day with a 25-12 loss to No. 6-ranked University of Mount Union (Ohio). Olivet rebounded to beat Keystone (Pa.) College, 53-5; University of Wis.-Oshkosh, 23-16; and Heidelberg (Ohio) University, 30-15.

• The Purple Raiders won 7-of-10 bouts to post the 25-12 win. Five of their wins were minor decisions and the other two were technical falls.
• Wins for the Comets were by sophomore 125-pounder Cameron Mahlich with a first-period pin at 2:38, senior 197-pounder Jacob Harvey with a 7-0 decision and freshman heavyweight Owen Miller with a 5-2 decision.

• Olivet coasted to the 53-5 victory, as they scored bonus victories in all nine of their individual bout wins.
• Earning forfeit wins were Mahlich at 125 pounds, freshman Reese Wallis at 133 pounds, sophomore Cole Hersch at 157 pounds and junior Clayton Higelmire at 184 pounds.
• Three Olivet wrestlers recorded first-period pins – junior Drew Mandell in 1:28 at 149 pounds, sophomore Adam Hall in 39 seconds at 174 pounds and freshman Austin Engle in 1:22 at 197 pounds.
• Sophomore Trevor Piggott pinned his opponent just 18 seconds into the second period.
• Sophomore Dylan Briggs walked off the mat with a 22-5 technical fall victory at 165 pounds.

• The Comets and Titans split the 10 bouts. The difference in the match was Olivet scored bonus points in three of their five wins compared to one bonus-point win for Wis.-Oshkosh.
• After a close 5-4 loss in the 125-pound bout, Wallis leveled the score with a 7-5 win at 133 pounds.
• The Titans won the next match, and after it was over, the Comets were deducted one team point for unsportsmanlike conduct.
• Mandell recorded a pin at 1:16 and Hersch had his own pin at 3:28 to put Olivet on top, 14-6.
• Wis.-Oshkosh answered with a 7-3 decision at 165 pounds.
• Junior Haydn Kinjorski picked-up a disqualification victory at 174 pounds, and the Titans were penalized one team point to make the score 20-8.
• Wis.-Oshkosh won the next two bouts, 4-2 and 19-4.
• Freshman Dominick Wilson capped the Comets' victory with a 2-1 decision at 285 pounds.

• Olivet never trailed in the match, as it won 7-of-10 bouts.
• Mahlich and Wallis picked-up decision victories, 6-5 and 3-1, to give the Comets the early 6-0 lead.
• The Student Princes closed the gap with a technical fall victory.
• Mandell and Hersch responded with back-to-back first period pins. Mandell's pin came at 1:05, while Hersch's pin was at 2:52.
• Senior Tyler Grimsley earned a 10-8 overtime decision at 165 pounds.
• Hall edged his opponent, 5-4.
• Heidelberg won the next two matches by major decision and pin.
• Miller ended the match with a pin at 1:06.

• The Comets are idle until Friday and Saturday, Jan. 4-5 when they participate in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Multi Divisional National Duals at the Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky.