Wrestling team beats Adrian, 21-12, in MIAA-opener

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College wrestling team began defense of its Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) title with a 21-12 win over Adrian College tonight at the Upton Center Gymnasium in Olivet.

Final Score: #25 Olivet 21, Adrian 12
Location: Upton Center Gymnasium; Olivet, Michigan
Records: Olivet 6-3 overall, 1-0 MIAA; Adrian 9-5 overall, 0-1 MIAA

• The Comets, ranked No. 25 in the most recent National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) poll, won 6-of-10 bouts.
• Olivet scored bonus points in three of the wins.
• All four of the Bulldog wins were minor decisions, bouts decided by less than eight points.

• Upon agreement of the head coaches, the match started in the 285-pound weight class. Adrian's Isaiah Espinosa won a close 3-2 decision over sophomore Dominick Wilson.
• At 125 pounds, junior Cameron Mahlich put the Comets ahead 4-3 with an 18-7 major decision. He used three takedowns, six near-fall points and escape in the first period to jump out to a 13-3 lead and never looked back.
• At 133 pounds, freshman Kyle Schaaf posted a 5-3 win to push Olivet's lead to 7-3. The difference in the match was two takedowns in the opening period.
• Senior Andrew Castaneda scored a takedown and four-point near-fall in the first period to win 9-3 at 141 pounds.
• At 149 pounds, senior Drew Mandell dropped a 14-7 decision.
• After a 15-minute intermission, junior Cole Hersch raced out to a 9-0 lead en route to a 15-6 major decision victory at 157 pounds, and extend the Comets' lead to 14-6.
• Junior Adam Hall suffered a 10-5 loss at 165 pounds.
• At 174 pounds, senior Nicholas Worden had five takedowns, escape and riding time points to pull out a 12-3 major decision.
• Senior Haydn Kinjorski scored a takedown late in the second period and hung on for a 4-3 win at 184 pounds. The win helped secure Olivet's win.
• At 197 pounds, junior Trevor Piggott came up short, 11-4.

• Tonight's match was the 30th all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and Comets. Ironically, Adrian won the first 10 meetings. The Comets have now won the last 20, including five straight since the Bulldogs reinstated its program for the start of the 2015-16 season.

• Olivet competes the 2019 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Multi-Divisional National Duals Friday and Saturday at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Official pairings for the duals will be announced tomorrow on www.nwcaonline.com.