CMU looks to even series record with Michigan State
The No. 11 Central Michigan wrestling team has an opportunity to even its all-time series record against Michigan State when it head to East Lansing today.
The Spartans have dropped nine consecutive matches against CMU, with their last win coming by an 18-16 decision back in 2001.
“We’ve had a lot of success over the past 10 years or, so I’m sure they’ll be excited to wrestle us and kind of avenge some of that,” said head coach Tom Borrelli. “Hopefully (our guys) realize what they’re getting themselves into going down there. They’re going to be after us.”
The last time these teams met was last season when the Chippewas won seven of their 10 bouts in a 23-10 victory at Rose Center.
Scotti Sentes was one of those three wrestlers who suffered defeat, falling 5-3 to defending national champion Franklin Gomez. This year, he’ll face redshirt freshman Levi Stace.
Sophomore Christian Cullinan met Eric Olanowski at the Michigan State Open and came out on the winning side of a 5-3 overtime decision. Cullinan went on to finish sixth at the event after falling in the fifth place match to teammate Kyle Waldo.
“I just think Christian is wrestling a lot better than he was back then,” Borrelli said. “He was having some issues getting down to 125, and that put some pressure on him, so I’m not sure he was wrestling as well as he is now.”
The starting lineup is the same as Sunday’s home opener against Michigan, with one substitution.
Senior Ryan Cubberly (3-7) will wrestle at the 157-pound class against MSU’s Sean McMurray (10-5).
Heavyweight Mike McClure is the lone ranked wrestler for MSU, compared to CMU’s four. Sentes is ranked ninth at 133 pounds, while Ben Bennett (No. 5), Jarod Trice (No. 2) and Mike Miller (No. 18) are ranked in their respective weight classes.
CMU (3-7, 1-0 MAC) is 3-1 against non-ranked opponents in dual meets this season, with the only loss coming from North Dakota State back in November.
The match in East Lansing is one of only two more non-conference matches remaining before MAC play wraps up the regular season.
“These are our last two fine-tuning matches before the conference dual-meets, which mean more as far as winning a conference championship,” Borrelli said. “(It’s) our last chance to wrestle without a whole lot of pressure on us.”
Wrestling between the interstate rivals kicks off at 7 p.m.
