The NIU wrestling team won its MAC opener against Kent State 25-12 in front of 246 people Sunday at the Convocation Center.

After dropping the conference opener to Kent State last season, NIU didn’t want the same letdown to happen this season.

“All week the coaches were working us real hard,” NIU’s George Kirgan said. “They worked on us getting motivated moreso than any other week. They kept telling us that this was the team that beat us last year. They were the team that kept us from being MAC champions all out. We were definitely gunning for these guys today.”

From the first match of the meet, the Huskies (7-3, 1-0 MAC) tried to set the pace by forcing the action against KSU (2-10, 1-2 MAC). But, 125-pound freshman Gralan Early came up a little short against Drew Opfer 10-9.

“Gralan is going to make some great improvements,” NIU coach Dave Grant said. “In about six weeks, we’ll see how this one turns back out. I have an idea that things will turn around the other way.”

Both Sam (133) and Andy Hiatt (141) won their matches. Ranked No. 10 in the nation, Sam won 6-4 over Jared Opfer, an NCAA championships qualifier, with a 6-4 decision in the 133-pound weight class. Andy, the younger of the two, had a 14-5 major decision (a win of 8-14 points) over Nate Daugherty in his 141-pound match.

Both of NIU’s other ranked wrestlers won their matches as 20th-ranked, 149-pounder Josh Wooton beat Jason Bake 8-6. Second-ranked Ben Heizer finished his day with a 7-3 decision over Alex Camargo in his 184-pound match.

Kirgan earned his team-leading fifth pin of the year as he put Ardian Ramadani’s shoulders to the mat in the first period.

The whole match wasn’t all Kirgan, though, as the referee awarded two points to Ramadani for a takedown after a whistle. Kirgan said wrestlers are supposed to stop wrestling after a whistle blows, and he didn’t understand why the referee let the points stand.

“That made me mad. Actually, I think that it helped me out,” Kirgan said. “It really pumped me up. After that, I was really pissed off and went after him.”

Moments after the takedown, Kirgan had a different demeanor, using a Greco-Roman toss that eventually led to the pin.

Alex Nelson (165 pounds) and Greg Reardon (197 pounds) also earned victories for the Huskies.