FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Ithaca College wrestling team closed the opening day of the NWCA National Duals with a win over 23rd-ranked Olivet and a loss to sixth-ranked Wisconsin-La Crosse. The Bombers were 3-2 in dual matches on the day and stand at 6-2 overall in dual matches on the season. Both Ithaca defeats came against top-10 opposition at the national event that features 10 of the top-12 teams in the latest NWCA Division III Poll.
 
Details from Ithaca's first three matches are available here.
 
#12 ITHACA 26, #23 OLIVET 9
 
Ithaca defeated 23rd-ranked Olivet 26-9 to begin the evening session. Jimmy Kaishian started the dual with a 3-1 decision victory at 125 pounds. Back-to-back major decisions extended Ithaca's lead to 11-0 as Alex Gomez (133) and Nick Wahba (141) won convincingly. Nationally-ranked Ithaca wrestlers Kevin Collins (157) and Nick Velez (165) added decision victories.
 
At 184, Zach Conner scored a reversal late in the first period and finished his match by fall just as the period expired to give Ithaca six team points and the decisive margin necessary for the dual-match victory as the Bombers led 23-6 with two matches remaining. Joe Sprung closed the proceedings with an 11-4 decision win at heavyweight.
 
#6 WISCONSIN-LA CROSSE 20, #12 ITHACA 12
 
After Wisconsin-La Crosse won the 125-pound match by decision, Alex Gomez picked up his fifth win of the day with a 10-8 decision victory to even the team score 3-3. Nick Wahba followed with a 4-1 decision win at 141 pounds to put Ithaca in front headed to a matchup of nationally-ranked wrestlers at 149. Dan Pak, ranked sixth in that weight class for Ithaca took on fourth-ranked Kasey Einerson of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Einerson scored three reversals in the match and six points by near fall to win by major decision 12-4.
 
The 157-pound match was a 7-5 decision victory for Ithaca's Kevin Collins and put the Bombers back in front in the team score 9-7 halfway through the dual. La Crosse won by decision at 165, but Jaison White answered for Ithaca with an sudden-victory decision win at 174. White scored a double-leg takedown in the first period of extra time for a 4-2 win and a 12-10 lead in the team score for Ithaca.
 
Wisconsin-La Crosse got wins from nationally-ranked wrestlers at 184 and 197, the second a major decision, and held a 17-12 advantage headed to the heavyweight bout. The Eagles closed that out with a 6-5 decision victory for a 20-12 dual-match victory.
 
 
#12 Ithaca defeated #23 Olivet, 26-9
125 - James Kaishian (Ithaca) over Michael Schmidt (Olivet) Dec 3-1
133 - Alex Gomez (Ithaca) over Matt Darling (Olivet) Maj 12-3
141 - Nick Wahba (Ithaca) over Dominick Trevino (Olivet) Maj 19-5
149 - Kyle Witgen (Olivet) over Daniel Pak (Ithaca) Dec 7-3
157 - Kevin Collins (Ithaca) over Jacob Gould (Olivet) Dec 5-0
165 - Nick Velez (Ithaca) over Daniel Fleet (Olivet) Dec 5-0
174 - Nicholas Allen (Olivet) over Jaison White (Ithaca) SV-1 4-2
184 - Zachary Conner (Ithaca) over Justin Johnson (Olivet) Fall 3:00
197 - Thomas Hall (Olivet) over Gregory Duvall (Ithaca) Dec 4-3
285 - Joseph Sprung (Ithaca) over Jesse Judge (Olivet) Dec 11-4
 
#6 Wisconsin-La Crosse defeated #12 Ithaca, 20-12
125 - Ryan Weinmann (Wisconsin-La Crosse) over James Kaishian (Ithaca) Dec 5-4
133 - Alex Gomez (Ithaca) over Dustin Weinmann (Wisconsin-La Crosse) Dec 10-8
141 - Nick Wahba (Ithaca) over Austin Schoen (Wisconsin-La Crosse) Dec 3-1
149 - Kasey Einerson (Wisconsin-La Crosse) over Daniel Pak (Ithaca) Maj 12-4
157 - Kevin Collins (Ithaca) over Derek Weinmann (Wisconsin-La Crosse) Dec 6-5
165 - Tyler Schneider (Wisconsin-La Crosse) over Nick Velez (Ithaca) Dec 4-2
174 - Jaison White (Ithaca) over Sean O`Neil (Wisconsin-La Crosse) SV-1 4-2
184 - Richard Carlson (Wisconsin-La Crosse) over Steven Sabella (Ithaca) Dec 5-3
197 - Eric Twohey (Wisconsin-La Crosse) over Gregory Duvall (Ithaca) Maj 10-1
285 - Zach Tooley (Wisconsin-La Crosse) over Joseph Sprung (Ithaca) Dec 6-5