Wabash split a double-dual meet Tuesday night after defeating Rose-Hulman 39-9 in the season opener last Friday to begin the 2008-09 campaign with a 2-1 record. The Little Giants beat Manchester 27-16 after suffering a 49-0 loss to Indiana University in Tuesday's first match. See pictures of the IU match by clicking here.
The Spartans opened with a pin at 125 pounds before Andrew Kepchar answered by pinning Manchester's Chad Allen early in the second period of their 133-pound bout to tie the score at 6-6. Senior Jared Tribbett gave Wabash a three-point lead with a pin at the 4:45 mark of his 149-pound match.
Justin Michaels added another three points to the team score, defeating 157-pound Kyle Carlson from Manchester. Bryan Hugo had to go to overtime before scoring a 6-4 victory over Chris Becker to hold the Little Giants' lead. Greg Rhoads put Wabash up 12 points with a pin against Roderick Gallegos at 1:51 into the 184-pound bout. Rob Arnett put the match away with his 8-1 victory at heavyweight against Jordan Cox.
Rhoads nearly scored an upset victory earlier in the evening at 174 pounds against IU's Trevor Perry. Rhoads trailed at the beginning of the match before rallying to draw to within one point before eventually losing 13-10 to the Division I opponent. Hugo also came close to knocking off Hoosier wrestler Seth Parker in a 6-3 final at 184 pounds.
(Why compete against a nationally-ranked Division I program like IU? Wabash head coach Brian Anderson answers that question in this Quicktime video.)
Tribbett, Rhoads, and Arnett all scored pins in their opening matches Friday against Rose-Hulman. Hugo took a 6-2 victory at 184 pounds, while Justen Lock, Josh Boyer, and Ethan Flater received forfeits.
Wabash will compete at the Concordia Open this Saturday.
Photos - (top left) Senior Rob Arnett earned his second victory of the season with an 8-1 decision over Jordan Cox from Manchester.
(Bottom right) Greg Rhoads nearly knocked off IU's Trevor Perry in Tuesday night wrestling action at Chadwick Court.