Wrestling: Olivet splits four matches at Comet Duals

OLIVET, Mich. – The University of Olivet wrestling team hosted the 2023 Comet Duals today inside the Cutler Event Center. The Comets finished with a 2-2 record – falling Ohio Northern University, 37-10, and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 31-6, before bouncing back to win thrilling matches over University of Mount Union (Ohio), 24-19, and Heidelberg (Ohio) University, 23-21.

• Olivet won two-of-10 bouts, with both wins being technical falls.
• Junior Tyler Herrema claimed a 15-0 win at 149 pounds and junior Boe Eckman earned an 18-0 shutout win at 285 pounds.

• The Comets also only won two-of-10 bouts, with the wins being minor decisions.
• Junior Jay Shaull posted an 8-6 decision at 157 pounds and senior Mitchell Reynolds had a 7-2 win at 174 pounds.

• Olivet won six-of-10 bouts.
• The Purple Raiders picked-up the forfeit win at 125 pounds.
• The Comets evened the team score at 6-6 after junior Stuart Donlan at 133 pounds and senior Spencer Murphy at 141 pounds won 5-3 and 8-7, respectively. The difference in Murphy's match was the riding time point.
• Mount Union went back ahead, 9-6, with a 1-0 win at 149 pounds.
• Olivet answered with three straight wins – a pin by junior Ramiro Guerrero at 157 pounds, 17-10 decision by freshman Juwan Vines at 165 pounds and 15-0 technical fall by Reynolds at 174 pounds – to go up 20-9.
• The Purple Raiders closed the gap to a single point with a pin at 184 pounds and 12-3 major decision at 197 pounds.
• Eckman sealed the Comets' victory with an 18-6 major decision at 285 pounds.

• Olivet earned wins in eight bouts, including the last five for a come-from-behind win.
• The Student Princes led 15-0 behind a forfeit at 125 pounds, 7-0 decision at 133 pounds and pin at 141 pounds.
• The Comets put their first three team points on the scoreboard when sophomore Darren McLeod won 6-3 at 149 pounds.
• Heidelberg surged ahead 21-3 with a first-period fall at 157 pounds.
• Vines started the comeback when he used a takedown and four-point nearfall in the final minute to win 15-12 at 165 pounds.
• Reynolds used the riding time point at the end of his bout to post a 20-5 technical fall to make the team score 21-11.
• Freshman Seth Minney brought the crowd to their feet when he pinned his opponent 38 seconds into the second period.
• Sophomore Gideon Loewen scored a takedown with 37 seconds left in the 197-pound bout.
• Down 21-20 entering the 285-pound bout, Olivet needed a win by Eckman to win the match. He got a takedown near the end of the first period to go up 3-0. A penalty point in the second period made the score 3-1. Eckman chose bottom to start the third period. He was able to get out around 18 seconds in to make 4-1. A takedown with 10 seconds left sealed the win and the riding time point created the 8-1 final to hand the Comets the 23-21 team win.

• The Comets are back in action Saturday, December 2, when they compete at the Ohio Northern Polar Bear Invitational in Ada, Ohio.