Wrestling team places third at Bud Whitehill Duals

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The Olivet College wrestling team, ranked No. 7 in the latest NWCA poll, placed third at the 2014 Budd Whitehill Duals, hosted by Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pa. The Comets fell to No. 13 Messiah (Pa.) College in the semifinals, 19-17, before bouncing back to beat No. 10 Ithaca (N.Y.) College, 22-13, in the third-place match.

Messiah won the first three bouts to take a 10-0 lead. Olivet cut its deficit in half when senior Gage Pederson (Hastings) used the riding time point at the end his 149-pound bout to post a 16-1 technical fall win. Senior Kyle Witgen (Romeo) secured a 4-1 win at 157 pounds to make the score 10-8.

The Falcons stretched their lead back to 19-8 with three straight minor decision wins, 3-1 win at 165 pounds, 9-4 at 174 pounds and 2-1 at 184 pounds. Sophomore Thomas Hall (Fife Lake/Forest Area) won 4-1 at 197 pounds to make the score 19-11. Junior Trevor Timmreck (Birch Run) earned a forfeit win at 285 pounds for the Comets' final team points.

Freshman Kyle Gillies (Westland/John Glenn) started the match with a 15-5 major decision win at 125 pounds. After a loss at 133 pounds, senior Justin Holm (Battle Creek/Harper Creek) won by forfeit at 141 pounds to put Olivet ahead 10-3. Pederson followed with a 4-0 minor decision victory at 149 pounds. The Bombers won the next two bouts to trim their deficit to 13-10.

The Comets then won three consecutive minor decisions victories – 9-7 by junior Nick Allen (Scotville/Mason Country Central) at 174 pounds, 6-0 by senior Jeff Holm (Battle Creek/Harper Creek) at 184 pounds and 7-5 by Hall at 197 pounds.

Olivet is now off until next Thursday when it travels down I-69 to wrestle Trine (Ind.) University at 7 p.m.. On Friday night, the Comets host Alma College at 7:30 p.m.