Wednesday (Dec. 6) night's wrestling dual at Kates Gymnasium was exactly what an early-season Top 25 match-up should be.

The No. 12-ranked Ashland University Eagles topped the No. 21-ranked Mercyhurst Lakers on Wednesday night, 20-19 -- after the dual finished at 19-all and total scoring criteria (77-76) was used to determined the winner.

"Guys showed up and got the job done, and at the end of the day, we got the win," said Ashland head coach Colt Sponseller. "We've got some stuff to work on.

"We asked some guys to step into the lineup, and they worked hard. The only thing I ask is effort for seven straight minutes, and they went out and they did that."

Ashland is 1-2 on the young 2023-24 season, and the Lakers are 1-3.

Redshirt freshman 125-pounder Luke Acuna and senior 133-pounder Tyler Masters got the Eagles off on the right foot on Wednesday night, with Acuna winning 11-5 and Masters earning a 14-6 major decision.

Ashland led 7-0 at that point, but four straight losses put the Eagles behind by a 16-7 count. Sophomore 174-pounder Nate Barrett got AU back on track with a 14-6 major decision, and grad 184-pounder Daniel Beemer followed with a 21-6 technical fall in his first action of the campaign.

"Dan was excited to get back out there," Sponseller said about his two-time NCAA Division II third-place finisher. "Any time he gets in front of the home crowd, he gets excited. That's what he thrives on is the crowd…and that's awesome. He's got last thing to prove this year, and I'm excited for it."

Mercyhurst won at 197 pounds, then sophomore Wyatt Bailey's late 4-1 victory at 285 pounds knotted the team score – setting up the win via criteria.

"We always like someone to start the dual strong, and we like someone to end it," said Sponseller said of Acuna and Bailey. "You start on a high note, you end on a high note. It's nice to have that leadoff hitter and have that closer."

UP NEXT
Another Top 25 dual on Friday (Dec. 8) at 7 p.m. at No. 16 Pitt-Johnstown.