MAC Championships
Flannery Punches Ticket To Nationals On Day Two Of MAC Championships
3/9/2014 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
KENT, OH – Senior Nick Flannery punched his ticket to the NCAA Tournament on Sunday afternoon on day two of the MAC Wrestling Championships as he defeated Michael Shaw of Eastern Michigan in the fifth place match. The Bulls finished in ninth place with 12.5 points earned while the Missouri Tigers collected their second straight MAC title with 118.5 points.
With an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line, Flannery saved his best for last in his match against Eastern Michigan's Michael Shaw. Flannery started off his bout at 141-pounds quick as he earned a takedown less than a minute in and held onto the 2-0 advantage after the first period. In the second period, Flannery extended his lead to 6-2 following a nice reversal but ended the period leading by three, 6-3. Shaw opened the third with an escape and tied the match at six with less than a minute to go in the match but Flannery did not flinch, earning the escape with less than 10 seconds to go. He earned another point for riding time, to take home fifth place, downing Shaw 8-6.
Flannery was the only Bull to compete on day two of the Championship and earned the first trip to nationals in his four year wrestling career, which started at Cleveland State.
"Nick transferred from Cleveland State this year and exceeded expectations all season long," said Stutzman. "He wrestled the hardest schedule of anyone on the team and to come into the MAC tournament not expected to place and earn a spot in nationals, really speaks to the hard work and dedication he has put into the sport of wrestling. As a staff we couldn't be more proud of Nick and this accomplishment."
With a spot to the third place match on the line, Flannery opened the afternoon against Lavion Mayes of Missouri. After a scoreless first period, Flannery scored the first points of the match with a nice reversal to take the 2-0 lead. After two periods, Flannery clung to a 2-1 lead but his opponent Lavion Mayes, who pinned him earlier this year in a conference dual, outscored him 3-1 in the final period to advance to the fourth place match.
"It feels really good," said Flannery when asked about qualifying for his first NCAA Tournament. "Ive been working all season long to make it to the tournament and prove myself on the national stage. This ride is not over yet and I'm really happy I made the decision to transfer to Buffalo because I wouldn't have been able to qualify without coach Stutzman."
Flannery now has 11 days to prepare for nationals, to be held at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The matches will begin on Thursday, March 20 and run through Saturday, March 22.
TEAM SCORES:
Missouri – 118.5
Northern Iowa - 116
Old Dominion - 97
Ohio – 94.5
Central Michigan – 85.5
Kent State - 67
Eastern Michigan – 57.5
Northern Illinois – 50
BUFFALO – 12.5
Consolation Round:
141: Lavion Hayes (MIZZ) won by decision over Nick Flannery (BUF), 4-3
141: Nick Flannery (BUF) won by decision over Michael Shaw (EMU), 8-6
