Officially, John Carroll won two out of three matches today at the Ohio Athletic Conference Quad hosted by the University of Mount Union in Aliiance, Ohio.

As far as actual matches wrestled, the Blue Streaks ground out a 1-1 record against high caliber competition.

John Carroll's first match of the day was against the #11 ranked Mount Union Purple Raiders, then they would finish the day against the Polar Bears of Ohio Northern.

Andrew Perelka started off the dual meet against the Raiders with a win just like last year.  Perelka was able to get ahead and defeat his opponent by a score of 5-1. Unlike last year, this wouldn't be the last match that the Blue Streaks would win.

Jarrod Brezovec lost to Jordin James by a score of 11-5.  James is the returning national champion at the 133 pound weight class and ranked in the top three in the nation.  Despite the loss Brezovec was able to toss him around the mat in the final period, warding a stalling call and not allowing him to score.

Patrick McGraw would lose a tight 7-6 match in the 149 pound weight class.  McGraw came back to tie it at 6-6, but an escape would seal the deal as no other points would be scored late in the match.  The difference was a pair stalling calls on McGraw that awarded the eventual deciding point to the Purple Raider wrestler.

Sammy Gross would have perhaps the most significant win of the day, as he posted a come-from-behind victory in the 157 pound match over 2019 national runner-up Antwon Pugh.  Gross was down early put kept applying pressure and tacked on 4-5 takedowns in the final periods and would come back to tie the match at 13-13.  Once in overtime, Gross would spin his opponent into a 2-point takedown, then get on top of him and pin his opponent, giving him 6 team points and evening the score at 9-9.

"It got loud, I don't often hear things during the heat of matches, but for this one, I heard the volume," said Gross after the win.  "The culture that is being built here is great and it really helps us keep motivated towards our goal of wrestling in the NCAA tournament."

Luke Reicosky would string together another victory against Mount Union.  Reicosky was able to stay in control throughout his whole match, eventually winning 6-4, this would give the Blue Streaks a 12-9 lead in the team score column.

Vittorio Santillo would lose in the 174 pound match by a score of 3-2.  Santillo was rolling around with his opponent in the final 20 seconds, but neither could gain an advantage and Mount would be awarded the three team points.

After a trio of Mount Union victories, two by way of pin, the match would be over and the Purple Raider would claim the 27-12 victory.  The difference in this match was the three upper weight matches, Mount Union was able to collect 15 points here and pull ahead of the Blue Streaks.

Against Ohio Northern, Perelka did what he does best, start the Blue Streaks off with a lead.  Perelka pinned his opponent in the first period to give the Blue Streaks a 6-0 lead to start.

After a tech fall loss in 133, Brezovec lengthened the Blue Streak lead by beating his opponent 10-4, John Carroll lead the Polar Bears by a score of 9-5 after this match.

McGraw was able to be the aggressor in the 149 pound match, accumulating 19 points en route to a 19-4 tech fall victory.  Gross continued his dominant day, winning his second match to make the score 17-5.

After a couple of close losses, Aidan Whitis picked up his 15th pin of the year to make the score 23-11, guaranteeing a Blue Streak tie or victory.  After a loss in 197, Josh Stasek would pick up a win in a pin to put the cherry on the top and clinch the win.

John Carroll, which also was credited with a forfeit win over Wilmington College, moves to 11-4 on the year and 4-2 in the OAC. 

The Blue Streaks will wrestle in Chicago next weekend at the Wheaton College Pete Willson Invitational.

Mount Union 27, John Carroll 12
25: Andrew Perelka (JCU) over Seth Hayes, Dec 5-1;  133: David Massey (UMU) over Max Turner, MD 15-5;  141: Jordin James (UMU) over Jarrod Brezovec, Dec 10-5;  149: Luke Hernandez (UMU) over Patrick McGraw, Dec 7-6;  157: Sammy Gross (JCU) over Antwon Pugh, Fall 7:17;  165: Luke Reicosky (JCU) over Chris Anderson, Dec 6-4;  174: Conner Homan (UMU) over Vittorio Santillo, Dec 3-2;  184: George Lassnick (UMU) over Aidan Whitis, Dec 9-3; 197: Landon Talbert (UMU) over Christian Hipsher, Fall 1:15;  285: Grant Martin (UMU) over Josh Stasek, Fall 0:38
* - UMU was deducted one team point

John Carroll 29, Ohio Northern 17
125: Andrew Perelka (JCU) over Camden Spears, Fall 0:54;  133: Seth Transue (ONU) over Max Turner, TF 16-0 4:49;  141: Jarrod Brezovec (JCU) over Jeff Andrews, Dec 10-5;  149: Patrick McGraw (JCU) over Bailey Gibson, TF 19-4 7:00;  157: Sammy Gross (JCU) over Shaun Wagner, Dec 11-7;  165: Jordan Hardrick (ONU) over Luke Reicosky, Dec 3-2; 174: Connor Kwiat (ONU) over Vittorio Santillo, Dec 3-2;  184: Aidan Whitis (JCU) over Sam Medlen, Fall 1:31;  197: Cash Thompson (ONU) over Thomas Blackwell, Fall 0:48;  285: Josh Stasek (JCU) over Logan Painter, Fall 4:16