The opening match at 125 was a pivotal win for the Flashes. Junior Troy Opfer (Sandusky, Ohio) needed a third period escape to force overtime and countered a Kory Mines shot in sudden victory to score the winning takedown in a 6-4 decision.
"Troy didn't wrestle his best match, but he found a way to win," Assisant Coach Josh Moore said.
Junior Stevie Mitcheff (Lorain,Ohio) scored an opening takedown and a second period takedown against unbeaten A.J. Schopp, but getting turned several times throughout the match and was eventually pinned.
With the Flashes down 6-3, sophomore Tyler Small (Littlestown, Pa.) evened up the team score with a 5-2 victory. Small was dominant in the first period, using a quick takedown and a cradle to jump out to a five-point lead.
"Tyler beating a guy that has about the same ranking as him was a good win for us." Moore said.
Miller then needed 1:15 to chalk up his fifth pin of the season.
"I was moving my feet well and kept him guessing," Miller said of setting up a cement mixer. "I was really nervous going in. I had a lot of people come to watch me today," the freshman said of his first home dual.
"Ian's really explosive and dangerous," Moore said. "We think he can wrestle with anybody in the country. He might be one of the best freshmen in any weight class."
Junior Mallie Shuster (Newville, Pa.) kept the ball rolling with an 8-2 victory over Casey Fuller. Shuster notched takedowns in all three periods.
Senior Ross Tice (Brookfield, Ohio) made it four straight wins with a 5-2 decision over Ethan Saylor. Tice tallied the only takedown of the match in the first.
Sophomore Brandonn Johnson (Middletown, Md.) found himself in a scoreless battle after two periods at 174, before Chris Hrunka managed a third period reversal and riding time.
In the eighth match, junior Casey Newburg (Union, Ohio) sealed the Flashes' victory with a convincing 13-2 major decision over Victor Avery. Newburg nearly snuck in a pin on two different occasion with a tilt.
No. 4 Chris Honeycutt was too much for junior Keith Witt (Oak Harbor, Ohio) in a 7-0 loss. The Fighting Scots closed the dual with two straight win as Ernest James pulled off a 5-3 overtime upset over senior Brendan Barlow (Westerville, Ohio). Barlow got in on several shots throughout the match, but could not convert on a takedown.
Kent State (2-2) will prepare for its toughest tournament of the regular season Dec. 2-3 at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.
Results:
125 Troy Opfer (Kent State) dec. Kory Mines (Edinboro), 6-4, SV
133 No. 11 A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) pinned Steve Mitcheff (Kent State), 6:36
141 No. 10 Tyler Small (Kent State) dec. No. 17 Mitchell Port (Edinboro), 5-2
149 No. 19 Ian Miller (Kent State) pinned David Habat (Edinboro), 1:15
157 Mallie Shuster (Kent State) dec. Casey Fuller (Edinboro), 8-2
165 Ross Tice (Kent State) dec. Ethan Saylor (Edinboro), 5-2
174 Chris Hrunka (Edinboro) dec. Brandonn Johnson (Kent State), 3-0
184 Casey Newburg (Kent State) maj. dec. Victor Avery (Edinboro), 13-2
197 No. 4 Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro) dec. Keith Witt (Kent State), 7-0
285 No. 20 Ernest James (Edinboro) dec. No. 9 Brendan Barlow (Kent State), 5-3, SV
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