Wrestling (4-6, 0-3 MAC) failed to win its first conference dual this season and suffered its sixth straight loss to the Ohio Bobcats (5-1, 1-1 MAC) Friday when it traveled to Athens, Ohio.

The Huskies found themselves in an 18-0 hole after the first five matches but fought back with a 9-0 mark in the next two matches. Ohio closed out the final three matches with a score of 15-0, and the Huskies lost to the Bobcats, 33-9.

Caleb Busson (184) got the Huskies on the board in the sixth match with a pin. Busson recorded the pin with nearly 30 seconds remaining in the first period.

“His win was invigorating,” said head coach Ryan Ludwig. “It got the ball rolling. Caleb did a great job.”

Shawn Scott (197) continued the scoring with a 6-4 decision in the next match. The Huskies’ 18-point deficit had been cut in half, 18-9.

“Shawn got a good win there that kept us going,” Ludwig said.

The Huskies’ run on points ended when Jared Torrence (285) lost to No. 11 Jeremy Johnson. Johnson’s pin of Torrence stretched the Ohio lead to 24-9 with two matches left and sealed the victory for the Bobcats.

“Torrence did a fantastic job,” Ludwig said. “It was a 2-1 match when he got pinned. If Jared would have been able to convert and win, it would have been big for him individually — to beat such a high-ranked wrestler — and for the team.”

Including Torrence’s loss, Ohio closed the dual on a 15-0 run that included Nick Harrison (125) losing by decision, 7-3, and Braun Marquez (133) being pinned in the second period.

The Huskies lost to the Bobcats, 33-9, in their first true road dual.

“Going on the road is nothing new to these guys,” Ludwig said. “We didn’t perform at our best. The trip was long, but that’s not an excuse.”

With five matches left, the Huskies had fallen into an 18-0 hole that proved to be too big to climb out of. Despite not completing a comeback down 18-0, Ludwig said he didn’t believe the hole was too big to climb out of with five matches left.

“Just dig in and work for points,” Ludwig said. “Never stop believing it’s possible. Our guys went out and competed hard.

“We lost a couple tight bouts there early that I though could have gone either way. Obviously, they didn’t go our way.”