(LEBANON, Ill.) – The Mules wrestling team made it three consecutive dual wins with a 25-17 victory against the McKendree Bearcats (3-6) Friday night at the Melvin Price Convocation Center in Lebanon.
Six Mules tallied wins in the dual for the second night in a row.
Laramie Allembaugh put the Mules ahead early at 6-0, winning by forfeit at 125 pounds. The Bearcats made it 6-4 though after Brenden Murphy took a 9-1 major decision win over Hunter Neighbors.
The Mules then won four straight bouts beginning with Eric Mateo at 141 pounds, who pinned McKendree’s Steven Bradtmueller in 4:05 to increase the UCM advantage to 12-4.
Nick Viterisi then scored a 6-2 decision victory over the Bearcats’ Devin Patterson in the 149-pound bout, making it 15-4 in favor of the Mules. Michael Boyd made it 18-4 UCM after he took an 8-1 decision over McKendree’s Aaron Batchelder at 157 pounds.
Ty Loethen gave UCM its fourth straight win and increased the Mules lead to 21-4 after he defeated the Bearcats’ Nick Haferkamp via a 5-2 decision.
McKendree cut into the Mule lead, making it 21-10 after Jake Hawks was pinned in 3:41 by the Bearcats’ Isaiah Gonzalez in the 174-pound bout, but Clarence
Neely assured the Mules the dual victory after he took a 14-2 major decision against McKendree’s Luis Alba at 184 pounds, making it 25-10 UCM.
The Bearcats picked up a pair of wins in the final two bouts as Julian Smith defeated Todd Brier at 197 pounds, 14-2, and Ross Janney took a 3-2 win against Tim Tuaquoi at 285 pounds, making the final score 25-17.
The Mules are idle until Thursday when they host third-ranked Central Oklahoma at the Multipurpose Building.