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Day 1: Recap / Brackets / Highlight Video
Day 2, Morning Session: Brackets
The No. 12 American University wrestling team was in action Sunday morning in the place matches at the 108th EIWA Championships in Princeton, N.J., where three Eagles earned spots on the podium. Three more AU wrestlers will compete for EIWA titles later this afternoon.
Second-seed and No. 3-nationally-ranked Ganbayar Sanjaa won both of his bouts at 157 lbs. on Sunday morning to finish in third place, while fourth-seeds Thomas Williams (125 lbs.) and Daniel Mitchell (197 lbs.) came in sixth in each of their weight classes.
Sanjaa has already qualified for the NCAA Championships as a result of his top-six finish at 157 lbs. along with EIWA Finalists Matt Mariacher (141 lbs.), Kevin Tao (149 lbs.), and Ryan Flores (285 lbs.). Williams and Mitchell will need to rely on at-large bids to the NCAAs, which will be announced on Wednesday.
In the team standings through the session, AU remains in third place with 95 points and three wrestlers remaining in the finals. Cornell leads with 139.5 points and five finalists. Lehigh is second with 137 points and four finalists while Penn is fourth with 90.5 points and two championship wrestlers. Navy rounds out the top-five with 85 points and two finalists.
Mariacher, Tao, and Flores will compete in the championship bouts later today beginning at 3 p.m. Be sure to tune into AUeagles.com's live blog to follow along and join the conversation by clicking here.
125 – Thomas Williams (6th Place)
Williams, the 4th-seed, dropped a pair of bouts on Sunday to finish in sixth place, the second time he has placed at EIWAs in his career. He began his day against Brown's Billy Watterson, the 3rd-seed, in the consolation semifinals, dropping a 7-5 decision. Williams led 4-1 through one period and took a 5-4 advantage on an escape to begin the third period. But a takedown for Watterson in the third period along with riding time gave him the victory.
Then in the fifth-place bout, Williams was edged, 7-5, to 7th-seed Tyler Sackett of Navy. Williams trailed 4-2 after one period but earned the escape to begin the second and draw within 4-3. But Sackett controlled the third period and a late Williams takedown was not enough in Sackett's decision.
Consolation Semifinals – L dec. 3rd-seed Billy Watterson (Brown), 7-5
5th-Place Match – L dec. 7th-seed Tyler Sackett (Navy), 7-5
157 – Ganbayar Sanjaa (3rd Place)
Second-seeded Sanjaa won both of his bouts on Sunday to finish in third place, the second-straight year he has recorded a top-four result. Sanjaa had already qualified for the NCAA Championships on Saturday as a result of his guaranteed top-six finish.
In his consolation semifinal match, Sanjaa made quick work of unseeded Brian Tanen of Lehigh, jumping out to a 6-0 lead through a period before recording the fall at the 3:22 mark in the second period. Then in the third-place match against No. 13-nationally-ranked Daniel Kolodzik, Sanjaa took control quickly with a takedown and a three-point near-fall to take a 5-0 lead. The returning All-American led 7-2 through two periods and cruised to the 8-3 decision to finish third.
Consolation Semifinals – W pins Brian Tanen (Lehigh), 3:22
3rd-Place Match – W dec. 4th-seed Daniel Kolodzik (Princeton), 8-3
197 – Daniel Mitchell (6th Place)
Mitchell, the 4th-seed, finished in sixth place after dropping his two bouts on Sunday. In his consolation semifinal match, Mitchell came up on the short end of a 2-0 decision to No. 11-nationally-ranked Joseph Kennedy of Lehigh. After a scoreless opening period, Kennedy earned the escape to start the second. Kennedy rode Mitchell the entire third period and with riding time, he registered the decision.
In the fifth-place match, Mitchell faced Derek Stanley of Army, the seventh-seed, and dropped a 7-5 decision. After another scoreless opening period, Stanley took a 3-1 lead early in the third after an escape. Mitchell responded with a takedown to momentarily tie the score, but a Stanley escape but him back in front, 4-3, which would mark the final score.
Consolation Semifinals – L dec. 3rd-seed Joseph Kennedy (Lehigh), 2-0
5th-Place Match – L dec. 7th-seed Derek Stanley (Army), 4-3
