Indiana wrestling welcomed the Central Michigan University Chippewas into Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall for the Hoosiers’ first home dual meet of the season. They defeated the Chippewas 33-7 to bounce back from a disappointing loss in their previous dual with the University of Oklahoma.
No. 12 graduate student Jacob Moran set the tone for the Hoosiers in the 125-pound bout, with an emphatic 20-5 technical fall victory over freshman Archer Anderson. Anderson earned zero points via a takedown. Moran tallied six takedowns in the shortened matchup.
In a bout that involved much more rolling than scoring, Indiana redshirt junior Blaine Frazier came out victorious by decision in nail-biting fashion over Central Michigan redshirt junior Andrew Austin in the 133-pound bout by a final score of 8-6. Only two total takedowns occurred during the three periods.
Indiana continued to roll in the 141-pound bout, with a 13-5 victory by major decision by No. 23 redshirt junior Henry Porter over sophomore Nick Blackburn. Indiana led 12-0 through three bouts.
Indiana redshirt sophomore Joey Buttler and Central Michigan redshirt junior Jimmy Nugent went to war in the 149-pound bout, with zero points scored in the first period. Nugent finally broke the standstill early in the second period with an escape, and Buttler retaliated with 12 seconds left in the period with a takedown. An additional Buttler takedown in the third period sealed the 6-1 victory by decision for the Hoosiers.
No. 28 redshirt senior Mason Shrader — the reigning Mid-American Conference co-West Division wrestler of the week — put the Chippewas on the board in the 157-pound bout with a 11-5 victory by decision over No. 31 Indiana redshirt sophomore Bryce Lowery in the only ranked matchup of the evening. Indiana led 15-3 at the halfway point of the dual.
The Hoosiers picked up right where they left off in the second half. No. 23 redshirt junior Tyler Lillard extended the Indiana lead to 19-3 by way of a 16-3 victory by major decision over redshirt senior Chandler Amaker in the 165-pound bout.
No. 31 graduate student Derek Gilcher earned another win for Indiana in the 174-pound bout, downing redshirt sophomore Brayden Gautreau 20-5 to notch Indiana’s second technical fall victory of the evening. Gilcher took Gautreau down six times in the bout, while Gautreau earned all five of his points by way of escape.
In the 184-pound bout, Indiana No. 14 redshirt freshman Sam Goin and Central Michigan redshirt senior Adrien Cramer remained scoreless through the first period. While an escape by Cramer was the second period’s only point, Goin earned five points in the third period, resulting in a 5-3 victory by decision for Goin, stretching the Hoosier lead to 27-3 with just two bouts left.
Assembly Hall was at its loudest for the 197-pound bout. While leading 7-6 in the third period, No. 12 Indiana redshirt junior Gabe Sollars pinned redshirt sophomore Luke Cochran, earning 6 points for the Hoosiers, and widening the lead to 33-3.
“I love breaking people; that’s fun to do,” Sollars said after the meet. “I love supporting Indiana University. This is my school.”
After Indiana sealed the victory, sophomore Aidan Fockler gave the Chippewas their second win of the duel in the 285-pound bout, beating Indiana redshirt freshman Caleb Marzolino 15-2 for a major decision victory. Fockler’s effort was futile, as Indiana had won the dual meet far before the final buzzer.
Indiana improved to 3-1 on the campaign, and will take on the No. 22 University of Arkansas at Little Rock in a dual meet Sunday in Little Rock, Arkansas, as the Hoosiers look to earn their first road and ranked wins of the season.
