Flashes to Host Old Dominion and Ohio State

Jim Andrassy's latest blog

Old Dominion will make its first M.A.C. Center appearance as a member of the Mid-American Conference Monday night and Kent State will host No. 7 Ohio State Thursday night as the Golden Flashes (4-3, 1-0 MAC) host two dual meets in four days. Coming off a 38-3 blasting of Buffalo the Flashes have won four straight duals. Both duals are slated to begin at 7 p.m.

Live Video & Audio
Live video of Monday's dual can be seen on mac-sports.com. Thursday's dual can be seen with a subscription to FloWrestling. Live audio with Matt Miller can be heard on the Golden Flashes Radio channel on iHeartRadio.

MAC Duals
The Monarchs are the first of three new opponents on the 2013-14 conference schedule.
Kent State will also take on Northern Iowa (Feb. 9) and Missouri (Feb. 21) for the first time in a conference dual this season.
Since the 2005-06 season, Kent State has gone 34-6-1 in MAC duals, including a 10-1 mark since the 2011-12 season. During that time, the Golden Flashes have not lost a MAC dual to a team other than Central Michigan, going 32-0-1 against the combination of Northern Illinois, Buffalo, Ohio and Eastern Michigan.

Quick Shots

The Golden Flashes have finished in one of the top two spots in the MAC regular season standings in each of the previous eight seasons.

Kent State does not have a single senior in its starting lineup

Six Flashes are ranked in the Top 30 by WrestlingReport.com.

Three of Kent State's four dual wins are by 21 points or more

Since Head Coach Jim Andrassy's third season (2005-06), the Golden Flashes have gone 113-40-1 in dual meets.

The Flashes have won 13 of their last 16 duals at the M.A.C. Center.

Sophomore Ian Miller is tied for fifth place among Kent State's career pin leaders with 27.

The Competition
During the opening weekend of the season Old Dominion earned dual victories over North Carolina (25-6) and Wisconsin (20-19), who is No. 22 in the latest coaches poll. Four Monarchs are in the latest MAC rankings in the first five weight classes. In its MAC opener on Dec. 6, ODU fell to Eastern Michigan 21-19, despite getting back-to-back pins from Chris Mecate and Alexander Richardson at 141 and 149.

Ohio State has won each of its first four duals by 15 or more points. The Buckeyes recently finished third at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Two-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber won a Vegas title at 141 and Johnni DiJulius won a title at 133. Six others placed in the top eight. Ohio State returns six NCAA qualifiers from last season.

MAC Rankings
The December Mid-American Conference Rankings were released Thursday as voted upon by conference coaches. Seven Golden Flashes were in the top for spots.

History vs. Opponents
Kent State holds an 8-2 all-time series lead against Old Dominion, including victories in each of the past two seasons at the Virginia Duals. Returning winners from last year's 27-6 victory over the Monarchs include Mack McGuire, Caleb Marsh and Sam Wheeler. ODU will be making its first trip to the M.A.C. Center in program history.

Ohio State leads the all-time series with Kent State 16-8, including a 27-10 win in Columbus last year. Sam Wheeler had one of the Flashes' three victories. The last time the in-state rivals met in Kent, each team won five matches in a 22-15 OSU win. Kent State's last series victory came in January of 2007.

Projected Lineups
Old Dominion at Kent State
125 – No. 27 Jerome Robinson (0-1) or Brandon Jeske (5-5) vs. Del Vinas (12-6, 0-0 duals)
133 – Scott Festejo (2-3) or Michael Hayes (4-3) vs. No. 23 Mack McGuire (10-3, 5-2 duals)
141 – No. 9 Chris Mecate (9-3) vs. No. 18 Tyler Small (8-4, 4-3 duals)
149 – No. 23 Alexander Richardson (8-3) vs. No. 26 Mike DePalma (13-6, 4-3 duals)
157 – No. 14 Tristan Warner (8-2) vs. No. 8 Ian Miller (11-1, 6-1 duals)
165 – Dillon Geoghegan (1-5) or Devin Geoghegan (6-4) vs. Tyler Buckwalter (1-0, 1-0 duals)
174 – Billy Curling (3-3) vs. No. 22 Caleb Marsh (4-2, 4-2 duals)
184 – Austin Coburn (11-7) vs. No. 16 Sam Wheeler (11-1, 7-0 duals)
197 – No. 27 Kevin Beazley (5-4) or Jake Henderson (4-2) vs. Cole Baxter (12-5, 6-1)
285 – Matt Tourdot (6-4) vs. Mimmo Lytle (8-7, 3-4 duals)
Rankings from WrestlingReport.com

Prior to Kent State's dual with Old Dominion, Cuyahoga Falls High School will take on Stow-Munroe Falls High School at 5:30 p.m. Prior to Thursday's dual a pair of junior high teams will battle at 5 p.m.

Strong Lineup Run
Since Nov. 16, the Flashes have been particularly strong in four consecutive weight classes from 133 to 157. During that time Mack McGuire is 8-2, Tyler Small is 8-1, Mike DePalma is 13-3 and Ian Miller is 9-0.

Up Next
The Golden Flashes will come back from a brief winter break to compete in the Southern Scuffle Jan. 1-2 in Chattanooga.

Flashes to Host Old Dominion and Ohio State

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