ADRIAN, Mich.- The West Liberty University wrestling team had a strong showing today at the Adrian College Duals going 6-0 as a team.
 
"It was another big step forward today," said Head Coach Danny Irwin. "Our team took out three other varsity teams with the guys who didn't wrestle against Lake Erie this past Thursday night. I'm really proud of how our guys got after it!"
 
The Hilltoppers entered two squads in the event and did not lose a dual. Wins over Alma (37-12) and Adrian (32-9) began the day. A 44-0 beatdown of Ohio Northern (2) and 27-15 defeat of Wisconsin - Stevens Point rounded out the perfect day for team one. West Liberty (2) wrestled twice and started with a 45-6 rout of Henry Ford, then finished the day with a 26-20 victory over Ohio Northern (2).
 
Nine Hilltoppers went unbeaten at the duals. Khyvon Grace, Jalen King, and Chance Morgan all went 4-0, while Toby Abbott posted a 3-0 record for team one, then Alexander Crane, Dylan Stroud, Breagan Pearson, Blake Miller, and Caden Kenworthy all were 2-0 for squad two.
 
Recording a pair of major decisions and a pin in the final match for the undefeated day at 157, the freshman Abbott had this to say, "I think we have some things to work on, but overall we wrestled good as a team. The work we put in this past week at practice paid off today and will continue to pay off throughout the season."
 
Grace (141) and King (149) earned two majors and a fall as well, while all four Morgan wins came by decision at 174.
 
Crane (125) picked up a 16-0 tech fall in the opener and pinned his opponent in his lone other bout. In the 141 weight class, Stroud had two major victories. Pearson tech falled and majored his way to the perfect day in 149-pound bouts. Miller pinned his first opposition and then earned an 11-6 decision in round two at 157. Kenworthy battled out a pair of 3-2 decisions on the day at 174.
 
Dominic Ortlip (125), Matt Englehardt (133), and Jamie Kilmer (285) all went 3-1 on the day in their respective classes. Ortlip made two pins in the first two matches and added a win by tech fall for his three victories.  Englehardt and Kilmer both bounced back from opening round losses and closed out the day with three straight wins. Kilmer ended it with an 8-0 major decision in the finale of the Stevens Point dual.
 
"Everyone pushed for points today and a number of those bonus point wins came in the last 5 seconds of the match," said Coach Irwin. "That's the type of mindset that will continue to set the bar for our program!"
 
West Liberty will be back in action next weekend at the Findlay Open. "The Findlay Open is a vital test to see where we stack up from an intensity and technical standpoint," noted Coach Irwin. The event is scheduled for a 9:00 am start on Saturday.

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