Nov. 20, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. — Two weeks after beginning its 2009-10 campaign at the Eastern Michigan Open, Northwestern makes its way back to Ypsilanti, Mich., this weekend for a dual match with the Eagles at 1 p.m. Sunday. NU has won the last two dual meetings with EMU by a combined score of 52-19, including a 23-13 victory last season.
No live scoring will be provided for the event but complete results will be available on NUsports.com immediately following the conclusion of the match.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Eastern Michigan is coming off a big 36-6 victory against Cleveland State on Thursday night, a match in which the Eagles built a commanding 36-0 lead. Seniors Josh Lewis (197) and Justin Brandel (165) each recorded pins in the win.
Eastern Michigan was also present at the Northwestern Duals in Evanston last Saturday but was not slated to dual Northwestern. EMU lost to Northern Iowa, 22-12, in its first match of the day before edging St. Cloud State, 25-24.
Only twice at the season-opening Eastern Michigan Open did a Wildcat and Eagle wrestler square off; Dominic Marella (157) defeated Aaron Sulzer, 10-4, while Paul Jackson (174) was pinned by EMU's Khodar Hoballah in the freshman/sophomore division.
AN ADDED BONUS
A number of Wildcats posted bonus-point wins on Saturday during the Northwestern Duals, including Andrew Nadhir at 149. Nadhir, now 6-2 on the season, won by major decision (11-3) over St. Cloud State's Alex Kontz and narrowly missed another major in his next match when he defeated Stanford's Mike Kent 13-6.
Marella also notched a major decision against St. Cloud State, downing John Sundgren 11-3, while Robert Kellogg (165) defeated Purdue's Jason Martin 10-1 to earn four team points for Northwestern.
SPLITTING TIME
NU head coach Tim Cysewski has two reliable options at the bottom of his lineup, where both Robert Joyce and Levi Mele have proven themselves capable of picking up wins at 125. Joyce is 1-2 in his last two bouts with both losses coming by a combined three points while Mele is 4-1 with a title in the freshman/sophomore division of the Eastern Michigan Open under his belt. Against Stanford on Saturday, Mele came from behind in a frantic affair with Ryan Mango before Mango managed a late two points to escape with a 10-9 victory.
LOOKING AHEAD
After Sunday's dual, the Wildcats remain on the road for its next two matches, facing in-state foe Northern Illinois on Thursday, Dec. 3, and Cleveland State on Thursday, Dec. 17.
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