Central Michigan University Athletics
Five Chippewas Advance in NCAA Wrestling Championships Opening Session
3/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 16, 2006
OKLAHOMA CITY - Five Central Michigan University qualifiers have advanced in the championship bracket of the 2006 NCAA Wrestling Championships.
Luke Smith (125 pounds), Jason Borrelli (133), Mark DiSalvo (149), Christian Sinnott (184) and Wynn Michalak (197) all moved on via first-round wins. Brandon Carter (141) and Brandon Sinnott (174) both dropped to the consolation bracket with first-round losses.
CMU is tied for ninth in the 69-team field following the opening session. The Chippewas have 11 team points. Three-time defending champ Oklahoma State has the early lead with 17 points, while Hofstra is in second with 16.
Christian Sinnott's win at 184 was the most exciting of the morning session. Following a scoreless first period, Michigan's Tyrell Todd took a 3-0 lead with an escape and a takedown early in the second. Sinnott countered with an escape and takedown of his own to even the score, but Todd again escaped to take a 4-3 lead into the third.
Sinnott started in the down position to open the third period and escaped the knot the score at four. Neither wrestler would put any more points on board in regulation.
Sinnott wasted no time in the sudden victory period, taking Todd down in just 21 seconds for the 6-4 win. The victory avenged a 3-2 Todd win over Sinnott in Rose Arena on Dec. 11.
Smith, seeded 11th at 125, was the first to take the mat for CMU during Thursday's morning session. After a scoreless first period, Smith opened the second with an escape and tallied a takedown with just 12 seconds remaining in the period for a 3-0 lead. He added the riding time point for the 4-1 win over Tenn.-Chattanooga's Javier Maldonado.
Borrelli also used a three-point second period to move on at 133. Tied at three with 10th-seeded Darrell Vasquez of Cal Poly, Borrelli scored an escape and takedown to take a 6-3 lead. He also added a riding time point en route to a 7-4 decision.
Mark DiSalvo, seeded fifth at 149, led from start to finish in dispatching Tenn.-Chattanooga's Aaron Martin, while Wynn Michalak, the top seed at 197, posted a 12-3 major decision over Oregon State's Dan Pitsch. Pitsch took Michalak down early in the first, but the Chippewa sophomore controlled the match from there.
All seven Chippewas will return to the mat for Thursday's evening session.
CMU Individual Results
No. 11 Luke Smith - 125 pounds - 1-0
First Round: W, dec. Javier Maldonado (Tenn.-Chattanooga), 4-1
Jason Borrelli - 133 pounds - 1-0
First Round: W, dec. No. 10 Darrell Vasquez (Cal Poly), 7-4
Brandon Carter - 141 pounds - 0-1
First Round: L, No. 8 Derek Moore (UC-Davis), fall, 4:30
No. 5 Mark DiSalvo - 149 pounds - 1-0
First Round: W, dec. Aaron Martin (Tenn.-Chattanooga), 10-5
Brandon Sinnott - 174 pounds - 0-1
First Round: L, No. 3 Mark Perry (Iowa), fall, 3:45
Christian Sinnott - 184 pounds - 1-0
First Round: W, dec. Tyrel Todd (Michigan), 6-4 SV
No. 1 Wynn Michalak - 197 pounds - 1-0
First Round: W, maj. dec. Dan Pitsch (Oregon State), 12-3
