Central Michigan University Athletics
Sunday, November 19
Champaign, Ill.
1 p.m.
Central Michigan University
10
vs
25
No. 22 North Carolina
CMU redshirt sophomore Sean Spidle (right) posted a 5-0 victory over Illinois' Justin Cardani, who is ranked 27th nationally, on Sunday in a dual meet at Illinois.
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Wrestlers Drop 2 Duals at Illinois
11/19/2023 5:34:00 PM | Wrestling
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Central Michigan wrestling team dropped a pair of dual meets on Sunday, falling to 0-3.
Wrestling at Illinois, the Chippewas opened with a 25-10 loss to No. 22 North Carolina and then dropped a 32-3 decision to the host Illini.
The Chippewas return to the mat on Saturday, Dec. 9 at Indiana.
"Even though the dual meet scores weren't that close, we're more competitive in the individual matches right now than we were last year at this time which is a positive," CMU coach Tom Borrelli said.
CMU picked up three wins against the Tar Heels and one against Illinois.
The Chippewas dropped the first four matches in falling into a 14-0 deficit to North Carolina, and then won three consecutive bouts to draw to 14-10.
Johnny Lovett posted the Chippewas' first victory, an 11-3 major decision at 157 pounds. Lovett, a senior who is ranked 15th nationally by InterMat, improved to 6-0 on the season with his second bonus-point win of the season.
Redshirt sophomore Tyler Swiderski followed with an 11-5 victory at 165. It was Swiderski's first dual-meet appearance as a Chippewa.
"Tyler has a lot of ability," Borrelli said. "He's a good wrestler. It was his first dual meet for us and he's trying to figure some things out, but he has a lot of potential."
CMU senior Alex Cramer, who is ranked 17th, then posted a 6-3 win at 174, improving to 5-1 on the season.
The Chippewas would get no closer as the Tar Heels won the final three bouts, two by major decision. The Tar Heels, with five ranked wrestlers in their lineup, scored bonus points in three of their victories.
CMU's lone win against Illinois came in the first match of the dual as redshirt sophomore Sean Spidle scored a 5-0 victory over 27th-ranked Justin Cardani to improve to 3-2 on the year.
After a scoreless first period, Spidle rode Cardani for the entire second period to all but guarantee a riding point. Spidle then escaped in the third period and then scored a takedown to seal it.
"He's very capable of wrestling matches like that all the time," Borrelli said of Spidle. "He's just been hot and cold. I think styles affect him a little bit. When he figures out how to beat guys who wrestle a certain style, he's going to do fine."
Illinois, with five ranked wrestlers in its lineup, won the final nine bouts, scoring bonus points in four of them.
North Carolina 25, Central Michigan 10
125: Spencer Moore (NC) dec. Sean Spidle, 8-5. NC 3, CMU 0
133: Caden McCrary (NC) dec. Andrew Austin, 6-3 SV-1. NC 6, CMU 0
141: Lachlan McNeil (NC) tech. fall Jimmy Nugent, 19-3. NC 11, CMU 0
149: Jayden Scott (NC) dec. Corbyn Munson, 4-1. NC 14, CMU 0
157: Johnny Lovett (C) major dec. Sonny Santiago, 11-3. NC 14, CMU 4
165: Tyler Swiderski (C) dec. Isaias Estrada, 11-5. NC 14, CMU 7
174: Alex Cramer (C) dec. Sabino Portella, 6-3. NC 14, CMU 10
184: Gavin Kane (NC) major dec. Cody Brenner, 17-3. NC 18, CMU 10
197: Max Shaw (NC) dec. Cameron Wood, 7-3. NC 21, CMU 10
285: Cade Lautt (NC) major dec. Bryan Caves, 13-3. NC 25, CMU 10
Illinois 32, Central Michigan 3
125: Sean Spidle (C) dec. Justin Cardani, 5-0. CMU 3, UI 0
133: Kole Brower (I) dec. Vince Perez, 8-6. CMU 3, UI 3
141: Danny Pucino (I) dec. Ja'Kerion Merritt, 4-2. UI 6, CMU 3
149: Kannon Webster (I) major dec. Trent Wachter, 13-5. UI 10, CMU 3
157: Joe Roberts (I) dec. Johnny Lovett, 2-1, TB-2, UI 13, CMU 3
165: Caden Ernd (I) dec. Tyler Swiderski, 8-2. UI 16, CMU 3
174: Edmond Ruth (I) tech. fall Alex Cramer, 23-6. UI 21, CMU 3
184: Dylan Connell (I) major dec. Cody Brenner, 10-2. UI 25, CMU 3
197: Isiah Pettigrew (I) dec. Cameron Wood, 10-3. UI 28, CMU 3
285: Luke Luffman major dec. Bryan Caves, 18-6. UI 32, CMU 3
Wrestling at Illinois, the Chippewas opened with a 25-10 loss to No. 22 North Carolina and then dropped a 32-3 decision to the host Illini.
The Chippewas return to the mat on Saturday, Dec. 9 at Indiana.
"Even though the dual meet scores weren't that close, we're more competitive in the individual matches right now than we were last year at this time which is a positive," CMU coach Tom Borrelli said.
CMU picked up three wins against the Tar Heels and one against Illinois.
The Chippewas dropped the first four matches in falling into a 14-0 deficit to North Carolina, and then won three consecutive bouts to draw to 14-10.
Johnny Lovett posted the Chippewas' first victory, an 11-3 major decision at 157 pounds. Lovett, a senior who is ranked 15th nationally by InterMat, improved to 6-0 on the season with his second bonus-point win of the season.
Redshirt sophomore Tyler Swiderski followed with an 11-5 victory at 165. It was Swiderski's first dual-meet appearance as a Chippewa.
"Tyler has a lot of ability," Borrelli said. "He's a good wrestler. It was his first dual meet for us and he's trying to figure some things out, but he has a lot of potential."
CMU senior Alex Cramer, who is ranked 17th, then posted a 6-3 win at 174, improving to 5-1 on the season.
The Chippewas would get no closer as the Tar Heels won the final three bouts, two by major decision. The Tar Heels, with five ranked wrestlers in their lineup, scored bonus points in three of their victories.
CMU's lone win against Illinois came in the first match of the dual as redshirt sophomore Sean Spidle scored a 5-0 victory over 27th-ranked Justin Cardani to improve to 3-2 on the year.
After a scoreless first period, Spidle rode Cardani for the entire second period to all but guarantee a riding point. Spidle then escaped in the third period and then scored a takedown to seal it.
"He's very capable of wrestling matches like that all the time," Borrelli said of Spidle. "He's just been hot and cold. I think styles affect him a little bit. When he figures out how to beat guys who wrestle a certain style, he's going to do fine."
Illinois, with five ranked wrestlers in its lineup, won the final nine bouts, scoring bonus points in four of them.
North Carolina 25, Central Michigan 10
125: Spencer Moore (NC) dec. Sean Spidle, 8-5. NC 3, CMU 0
133: Caden McCrary (NC) dec. Andrew Austin, 6-3 SV-1. NC 6, CMU 0
141: Lachlan McNeil (NC) tech. fall Jimmy Nugent, 19-3. NC 11, CMU 0
149: Jayden Scott (NC) dec. Corbyn Munson, 4-1. NC 14, CMU 0
157: Johnny Lovett (C) major dec. Sonny Santiago, 11-3. NC 14, CMU 4
165: Tyler Swiderski (C) dec. Isaias Estrada, 11-5. NC 14, CMU 7
174: Alex Cramer (C) dec. Sabino Portella, 6-3. NC 14, CMU 10
184: Gavin Kane (NC) major dec. Cody Brenner, 17-3. NC 18, CMU 10
197: Max Shaw (NC) dec. Cameron Wood, 7-3. NC 21, CMU 10
285: Cade Lautt (NC) major dec. Bryan Caves, 13-3. NC 25, CMU 10
Illinois 32, Central Michigan 3
125: Sean Spidle (C) dec. Justin Cardani, 5-0. CMU 3, UI 0
133: Kole Brower (I) dec. Vince Perez, 8-6. CMU 3, UI 3
141: Danny Pucino (I) dec. Ja'Kerion Merritt, 4-2. UI 6, CMU 3
149: Kannon Webster (I) major dec. Trent Wachter, 13-5. UI 10, CMU 3
157: Joe Roberts (I) dec. Johnny Lovett, 2-1, TB-2, UI 13, CMU 3
165: Caden Ernd (I) dec. Tyler Swiderski, 8-2. UI 16, CMU 3
174: Edmond Ruth (I) tech. fall Alex Cramer, 23-6. UI 21, CMU 3
184: Dylan Connell (I) major dec. Cody Brenner, 10-2. UI 25, CMU 3
197: Isiah Pettigrew (I) dec. Cameron Wood, 10-3. UI 28, CMU 3
285: Luke Luffman major dec. Bryan Caves, 18-6. UI 32, CMU 3
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