MATCH RESULTS
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WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Otterbein wrestling team kicked off its Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) schedule with a victory Tuesday evening, topping Muskingum University by a score of 34-18 in front of another nice crowd.

The Cardinals, making the program's return to OAC competition for the first time since 1974, improve their team record to 8-1 on the season after what was a five-week layoff for winter break.

Muskingum (3-3, 0-1 OAC) took an early lead on a pin from 125-pounder Jordan Burkholder, but the Cardinals would respond with a quick pin by freshman Tyler Norris (133 lbs.) in the next match to even the contest.

Otterbein, competing without starters Jake Vaughan and Drew Kasper (rest), would jump ahead on a forfeit and never look back from there, starting with a mammoth slam and first-round pin at 1:14 from freshman Willy Plaisir (157 lbs.) to ignite the Rike Center audience before intermission.

"It felt great to get back on the mat and feel the fun environment in front of our home crowd," said Plaisir, who improved to 12-1 overall. "I stayed with the same approach as usual and was able to disrupt my opponent. I used his momentum when he tried to stand up at one point and hit the final takedown from there."

Freshman Donny Didion nearly completed a nice comeback at 165 pounds before suffering a narrow defeat in the closing seconds, but the Cardinals quickly regrouped and posted a major decision, 10-1, from Braden Neuberger (174 lbs.)

Neuberger's triumph was followed by a match-clinching pin from 184-pounder Corbin Bunsold at 2:53 of the opening round. It was Bunsold's second victory in as many tries against Muskingum's Anthony Cole-Young, whom he pinned in an almost-identical 2:56 last month at the Ohio Northern Invitational.

"It can be rough coming back from holiday breaks because there's a tendency to put on weight or get rusty," said Bunsold, who now has a team-high 10 pins this season. "I settled back in tonight and stuffed a couple of his early double-leg attempts. I followed with a shrug and found a way on top to finish it."

The Muskies collected their final points on a pin at 197 before Otterbein heavyweight Ras Lumpkins took his first victory of the year via forfeit.

Otterbein will now have a quick turnaround, traveling up north to Case Western Reserve University tomorrow evening for a non-conference outing. The group will be back in league action next Tuesday, Jan. 17 at Heidelberg University.

"We are constantly improving in that practice room and working together," Bunsold added. "We feature high energy but also make sure to maintain friendships off the mat."