Wrestling team heads home
Albany, N.Y. - For the second time, the CMU wrestling team traveled to the NCAA Tournament to come home without any All-Americans.
The Chippewas top finish came from Jordan Webster, who found himself just two wins shy of the coveted honor that goes to the top eight wrestlers in each weight class.
Webster lost to Corey Ace of Edinboro University 5-4 in the third round of the consolation brackets.
Webster and Ace wrestled back and forth for three periods, and were tied after time expired at four points apiece, but with 1:19 in riding time in Ace's favor, the bonus point put him over the top.
Webster beat Ace in both matches the two had this season prior to Friday. He beat him at the National Duals 8-7 on Jan. 19 and 3-2 on Feb. 10.
Ace's previous knowledge of Webster proved the defining point, as every effort Webster made for a takedown in the final moments was thwarted by Ace.
Webster defeated Dan Hyman of Lehigh University in the consolation bracket's second round, 10-7.
Webster led 5-1 after the second period, but Hyman came right back to close the score to as close as 8-7. In the final 10 seconds of the match, Webster clinched the win with a takedown.
Jason Mester and Ty Morgan both bowed out in the second rounds of their consolation brackets.
The 141-pounder Mester lost to Gabe Vigil of Boise State in his first match, while Morgan lost to Karl Nadolsky from Michigan State at 149 pounds. Morgan's loss to Nadolsky was his third of the season.
Nadolsky beat Morgan by a combined score of 17-6 in their three matches this season.
At heavyweight, senior Jack Leffler lost his first match of the day and the final one of his career. Leffler dropped his match to Boise State's Boe Rushton. After the clock expired, Leffler lost to Rushton 4-2 with riding time. Leffler's last-ditch efforts were thwarted as a last-second takedown was called too late by the officials.
CMU returns nine of 10 wrestlers from this year's Mid-American Conference champion team, with Leffler being the lone senior on the squad.
Next year's team will include three conference champions and a total of eight NCAA tournament appearances.
