The NIU wrestling team hurt its chance to become the MAC regular-season champions after Friday’s 25-10 loss to 19th-ranked Central Michigan.

The Huskies (8-4 overall, 2-1 MAC) were able to win only three of their 10 matches against CMU (7-4, 1-0). Despite the loss, they will have another chance for redemption at the MAC Championships.

“We’re not going to be the regular-season champions now,” NIU’s 184-pound Ben Heizer said. “But we still have a chance of going into the MAC tournament and being champs there.”

Josh Wooton, 149 pounds, stretched his winning streak to four matches with his 7-5 decision over Adam Cunningham. The 17th-ranked wrestler now owns a 17-7 record.

Heizer, No. 2 in the 184-pound class, won a 1-0 decision against Alex Lammers.

“It was frustrating for me,” Heizer said. “All he did was put me in a front headlock. We were just on our feet and I eventually scored on an escape. He was trying to slow down the pace, and I guess their strategy was to stop me from getting my offense going.”

Joe Henning was the other Huskie to score a win as he had a major decision – a win by 8-14 points – on Adam Hopkins 14-4.

NIU forfeited its 174-pound match because George Kirgan had what Heizer described as “a problem with his leg going numb.”