No. 3-ranked Ashland University wrestling traveled to Massillon Senior High School and lost to No. 8 Notre Dame College, 19-18, on Sunday (Jan. 14) afternoon.
The Eagles (3-4) have lost to the Falcons (5-1) seven straight times dating back to 2012-13. However, this is the closest match Ashland has had against the 2017 national champions during that span.
Seniors Luke Cramer (10-0, ranked No. 1 at 197 pounds) and Jordan Murphy (9-0, No. 4 at 184) were responsible for two of AU's five individual victories, leaving them hopeful to become the firsts in school history to become undefeated national champions.
Cramer beat a Falcons freshman, 8-1, and Murphy defeated a junior, 12-5.
Eagles senior Bob Mason (8-3, No. 9 at 141), sophomore Bret Romanzak (25-3, No. 3 at 165) and freshman Tristen Weirich also picked up wins. Mason won, 4-2, and Weirich won by forfeit. Romanzak, winner in a 3-1 decision, now has 10 more victories than anyone else on the team.
A portion of the AU wrestling team competed at the Mount Union Open in Alliance, Ohio, on Sunday. Junior Lawrance Dudgeon (14-10, No. 110 at 133) placed fourth in his bracket, sophomore Chandler Minnard (4-2, 141) finished fourth and junior J.J. Diven (11-5, 149) earned second.
Ashland will return to the mat on Wednesday (Jan. 17) at 7 p.m. at Lourdes in Sylvania, Ohio, for its sixth dual of the month. The Eagles beat Gray Wolves, 52-0, last season. Loudes is a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) athletic program.
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