Limited time for improvement as conference schedule ends for CMU wrestling
Central Michigan wrestling is not afforded anymore time to work out its kinks.
With the conclusion of its Mid-American Conference schedule on Thursday, the hourglass has officially run out. The Chippewas have been developing over the season, and have shown sparks of greatness in matches against Stanford and Kent State, but ultimately might not be at the level necessary to take a top-three spot in the MAC tournament.
"We're not there yet and we just have to keep working," said head coach Tom Borrelli. "We're not executing the things that we practice. We don't have the composure that we need – we still need to find that."
The Chippewas will begin its end of the season stretch next weekend at the National Wrestling Coaches Association Duals in Columbus, Ohio, before a final dual meet against Michigan State and the MAC championships in March.
Consistency and aggressiveness are the team's two key problems. Borrelli said his team suffers from a lack of confidence, with some of the weaknesses stemming from a lack of experience.
"Some of the guys I'm talking about are sophomores or it's (their) first year in the starting lineup and they don't know how to handle it yet," Borrelli said. "Other than putting pressure on kids in practice, I don't know how you simulate the match and you won't know if they have that composure or not until you get to the match."
On a good night, the Chippewas perform high-percentage shots and quick takedowns, exemplified by senior 133-pounder Joe Roth. Roth keeps his opponents on their toes with fake shots before delivering single leg takedowns, often getting his opponent's leg while standing straight up.
On a poor night, things can go the opposite way. CMU struggled to stay competitive on their feet against Missouri, resulting in the team spending a majority of the match wrestling defensively and stuck on bottom.
"We just have to keep working hard and get to where we need to be by the MAC tournament and Nationals," said redshirt freshman Nick Becker.
Borrelli said Becker is one of the most improved wrestlers this season, and is beginning to overcome his inexperience.
Performing well collectively has proven a weekly struggle, as the dichotomy between CMU's upper and lower weight classes leaves a reliance on a select group of wrestlers to win. The Chippewas will need to quickly tighten up the seams in its armor if they hope to beat some of the toughest competition in the country.
The MAC is no slouch in wrestling, being a conference that pulls talent from across the nation.
Northern Iowa is undefeated this season overall and the second-best MAC team behind Missouri, who boasts an 8-2 record. No. 3 Old Dominion blew out CMU 24-7 this season, and all three beat CMU in conference play.
The Chippewas still have the chance to return the favor to these teams when it really counts.
