Chippewas aim for back-to-back dual meet wins for first time this season
They win one, they lose one. They lose one, they win one.
The Central Michigan wrestling team has yet to win back-to-back dual meets this season, but has a chance to break that streak when they play host to Old Dominion Sunday at McGuirk Arena.
ODU (5-8-1) will be CMU’s last non-conference dual meet before four consecutive Mid-American Conference matchups to close out the regular season schedule.
“We have some good challenges this weekend, especially at the lower weights,” said head coach Tom Borrelli. “Hopefully we’re going to step up to the challenge and have a successful dual meet.”
The most anticipated matches of the day will be the two smallest weight classes. Sophomore Christian Cullinan will take on undefeated No. 4 James Nicholson (23-0) at the 125-pound match, and junior Scotti Sentes will wrestle No. 12 Kyle Hutter (25-5).
Getting guys back
Borrelli is unsure of senior Mike Miller’s status for Sunday, saying Miller was struggling through injury this week.
The senior’s absence would open a starting spot for senior Ryan Cubberly, who has come up big for the team in dual-meets this season, winning close matches against Purdue and Michigan State.
“The way I look at it I look at every match as practice for nationals,” Miller said. “So as importance goes, it’s just another match and we need to just go out there and wrestle.”
Junior Jarod Trice will be back in the lineup at the heavyweight spot after being scratched last weekend when the team knocked off MSU 19-18.
“I think (Jarod’s) fine,” Borrelli said. “He just had some issues with his back and hips earlier last week and we were just being precautionary since we didn’t need the match.”
The Monarchs have not had success wrestling the Chippewas in the past, holding an 0-3 all-time record against their Mount Pleasant opponents.
Both teams were ranked when they met last season and the Chippewas proved to be stronger as they won 23-14. This time, only CMU is ranked in both the InterMat poll (13) and NWCA/USA Today poll (21).
The wrestling team will split the arena with the gymnastics team when it kicks off its match at 2 p.m. Sunday.
