After losing both their meets last weekend, the Bobcats have refocused with a tough week of practice in anticipation of facing another Mid-American Conference opponent on the road this weekend.
Ohio (2-5, 1-3 MAC) fell to both Kent State and Bloomsburg last weekend at The Convo by a combined total of 33 points. Coach Joel Greenlee said he was not pleased with his team’s performance but is confident his wrestlers will turn the page.
“Last weekend wasn’t very good for us, but we faced two very good teams and we have to give them a lot of credit,” Greenlee said. “Kent is ranked 12th and Bloomsburg was 10th at one point, and our guys might be too young to go back-to-back versus teams of that caliber.”
Buffalo (5-11, 0-1 MAC) is coming off a fourth-place finish out of 15 teams at the New York State Collegiate Championships last weekend.
Buffalo’s 141-pound senior Kevin Smith also had an award-winning weekend, as he was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the tournament. Smith was also named the MAC Wrestler of the Week Monday for winning the title in his weight class.
Sunday’s dual against the Bobcats will be the final home meet for Smith.
The Bobcats will rely on seventh-ranked heavyweight Jeremy Johnson and No. 16 Nick Purdue (174-pound weight class), who won key matches against the Golden Flashes last weekend.
Last season, Ohio recorded a 16-15 come-from-behind victory against the Bulls at The Convo. The win was Ohio’s third straight against Buffalo in dual meets.
Ohio’s trip into Buffalo will be the first time the Bobcats have left Athens since Jan. 2 when the team traveled to the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn.
“We have been home for a while, but it will be very easy for us to travel again,” Greenlee said. “It is a match on a Sunday and not a very far trip, especially compared to traveling to Reno for three days.”
cl027410@ohiou.edu
UP NEXT:
OHIO at Buffalo
1 p.m. Sunday
— Kevin Smith from Buffalo is the MAC Wrestler of the Week.
— Ohio’s Jeremy Johnson is ranked No. 7 nationally in heavyweight class.
— The Bobcats have won three straight matches against the Bulls.
