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Men's Wrestling Drops Duals with Carthage and MSOE

Men’s and women’s wrestling headed to Eureka on Friday

1/6/2025 6:59:00 PM

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Illinois Wesleyan University men's wrestling team opened the new year with a pair of College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin duals against Carthage College and Milwaukee School of Engineering Monday evening, Jan. 6, in Milwaukee, Wis. Forfeited matches plagued the Titans as they fell 41-14 to Carthage before dropping 42-10 to MSOE.

Illinois Wesleyan's dual record dips to 0-4 while Carthage sits 4-2, 3-2 in CCIW, and MSOE is 3-2 and 2-2 in league action.

Illinois Wesleyan 14, Carthage 41

Sophomore Austin Johnston (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) put the first points on the board for IWU after trailing 12-0 heading into the 141-pound match. Facing Carter Leiber of Carthage, Johnston opened the bout with a pair of takedowns to carry a 6-0 lead into the second period. Stretching his lead to 13-0, Johnston nailed a takedown 12 seconds into the third to secure his first CCIW bout win by way of a 16-0 technical fall. IWU still trailed 12-5 in team points.

At 149 pounds, freshman Ameer Alamawi (New Lenox, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central) faced a tough battle with Carthage's Elijah Zepeda. Alamawi led by as many as 12 points through the first two periods but a strong third period for Carthage cut Alamawi's lead to six at 22-16. In the final 50 seconds, Carthage scored on a two-point reversal but Alamawi secured the decision 25-18 for his first CCIW win, adding three points to the team standings, cutting IWU's deficit to 12-8.

Freshman Evan Carel (Hamilton, Ill.-Hamilton) carried a 6-1 advantage into the second period of the 157-pound bout against Joey Barnett. Carel claimed the Titans only pin on the night at the 4:19 mark to add six points to the team total and gave the Green and White its first lead of the night, 14-12.

Losses by tech fall and a pin accompanied three forfeits by the Titans through the rest of the competition as the Firebirds claimed a 41-14 victory over Illinois Wesleyan.

Illinois Wesleyan 10, MSOE 42

After a grueling win in the Carthage dual, Alamawi was given a pass against MSOE, picking up the win by forfeit to put IWU on the board but trailing, 18-6.

Carel was efficient off the whistle with a takedown to lead 3-0 against MSOE's Javier Sevilla. Moving to a 6-1 advantage, Carel continued to control the match, closing it out with a 13-5 major decision but MSOE still led 18-10.

Two pins for MSOE coupled with a pair of forfeits by IWU in the later weight classes gave the Raiders the 42-10 win on the evening.

Illinois Wesleyan is back to the mat Friday, Jan. 10 as both men's and women's teams are set to dual Eureka College on the road.

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