Wins over No. 16 Hofstra, 22-14, and No. 13 Edinboro, 28-11, extended CMU's winning streak to a school-record 17 duals. The victories were Tom Borrelli's 194th and 195th at CMU, moving him into a tie with Chick Sherwood for the school's career wins record.
Perhaps most importantly, however, the two wins over nationally ranked opponents provide CMU with momentum entering next weekend's National Duals. At 7-0, CMU is off to its best start since the 2002-03 team also opened the season with wins in its first seven duals.
CMU was 0-1-1 in two duals with Hofstra last season; in both contests, the Pride built large early leads before CMU rallied late to the even the team score. Sunday's dual played out in exactly the same fashion.
Hofstra (3-4) recorded major decisions at 125 and 133 to take an 8-0 lead that eventually ballooned to 14-3 at the midway point of the match. Pete Puckett's 6-4 decision over Anthony Tortora at 165 pounds, however, was the first of five straight CMU victories to close the dual. Brandon Sinnott, ranked third nationally at 174 pounds, followed Puckett with a 3-1 sudden victory decision over No. 6 Alton Lucas. Christian Sinnott scored a bonus point for the Chippewas with a 17-4 major decision at 184, and sixth-ranked Wynn Michalak put CMU in front for the first time (16-14) with a 7-0 decision over No. 9 Joe Rovelli.
Bubba Gritter sealed the win with a pin of Tom Daddino. In both of last year's matchups with Hofstra, Gritter scored major decisions in the final match to even the team score.
Edinboro (4-1) entered its matchup with Central Michigan having won 15 straight duals and 33 of its last 34 overall. The Chippewas won seven of the 10 individual bouts to extend their own winning streak and put a halt to Edinboro's.
Eric Morrill gave Edinboro an early 3-0 lead with a 3-1 decision over Luke Smith at 125 pounds. CMU's Conor Beebe, Eric Kruger and Nathaniel Holt were winners at 133, 141 and 149, respectively, to put the Chippewas in front 10-3.
Third-ranked Gregor Gillespie and No. 16 Jarrod King answered with major decisions for Edinboro at 157 and 165 pounds, however, giving the Scots an 11-10 advantage. As was the case in the day's first match with Hofstra, the Chippewas rallied with wins at each of the top four weight classes. Brandon and Christian Sinnott won by decision at 174 and 184 pounds, and Michalak and Gritter put an exclamation point on the day with pins at 197 and 285.
Brandon Sinnott, Christian Sinnott, Michalak and Gritter were a combined 8-0 in the two duals, accounting for 34 of CMU's 50 total team points. Among their eight wins were three falls, one major and four decisions.
CMU travels to Cedar Falls, Iowa for next weekend's National Duals. The 16-team, two-day tournament begins Friday morning.
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