ALMA, Mich. – The Trine University men's wrestling team cruised to a 35-9 victory over their hosts from Alma College, securing their first Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) victory of the season.
The Scots took the first match of the day with a tech fall victory in the 125 pound match. Giving them the early 5-0 lead. The next six matches went to the Thunder and after an unsportsmanlike deduction to Alma they took a commanding 26-4 lead.
Joseph Langeman earned the first points for the team winning the 133 match 7-0. Neither grappler scored a point in the opening period of the evenly contested match, Langeman eventually strung together an escape and two takedowns for the win.
Trine took the lead in the dual following the 141 match, where Jett Boots dismantled his opponent with a 16-0 tech fall victory. The contest was never in doubt with Boots securing a quick takedown and then multiple instances of near fall points.
More bonus points awaited in the next two matches. At 149, Isaac Hawkins came up with a pin in the second minute of the match followed by another quick pin in the 157 match by Philip Burney. Both athletes added six to the team total with the convincing victories.
Lakin Webb won his match at 165 on the back of a crucial takedown in the opening period followed by a quick reversal at the start of the second. The 5-3 win gave the team three points.
The final win of the streak came at 175 where Andrew Williamson held onto an early lead to come up with a 14-8 victory. He utilized a few last second escapes to avoid a potential pin and retain the win.
After Alma secured five more points in the 184 match, Trine wrestlers took the final two matches to secure the final score of 35-9.
Mason Custer won with bonus points at 197 after securing a 16-1 tech fall victory. Kyler Bills finished off the day with a major decision in the heavyweight bout, winning by the score of 12-3.
The Thunder improve to 3-4 overall and 1-1 in MIAA play following the lopsided result. They will continue their season when they host Albion College for another MIAA dual on Wednesday, February 7. That match is set to begin at 7 p.m. in Hershey Hall.