(CHAMPAIGN, Ill., Dec. 12)- The McKendree University wrestling team lost two dual matches on Saturday to the University of Illinois, 29-16, and to the University of Findlay, 21-19.

The Bearcats, now 2-3 overall, will be off until January 9-10 when they compete at the NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Againt the University of Illinois, senior Aaron Winning (Highland, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Highland, Ill./Highland), the NAIA's No. 1 wrestler at 165 pounds, gave McKendree an early 3-0 lead when he defeated the Fighting Illini's Conrad Polz, the NCAA's No. 19 ranked wrestler, in an 11-5 decision. Illinois reclaimed the lead, 10-3, by winning the next two matches, only for junior Andrew Sanchez (Shiloh, Ill./O'Fallon) (Shiloh, Ill./O'Fallon), the NAIA's No. 1 wrestler at 197 pounds, to defeat Patrick Bond in a 4-0 decision to bring the Bearcats within four points, 10-6. McKendree dropped the next two matches to trail 22-6 with four matches remaining. Junior Wade Lowe (Godfrey, Ill./Alton) (Godfrey, Ill./Alton), the NAIA's No. 2 wrestler at 133 pounds, pinned Daryl Thomas in 2:29 to make the score 22-12, and sophomore Kyle Williams (Scott Air Force Base, Ill./Mascoutah) (Scott Air Force Base, Ill./Mascoutah) won a major decision over Vince Vercelli to cut the deficit to 22-16. The Fighting Illini won the last two matches to win the dual 29-16.

In the second dual of the day against NCAA II No. 19 University of Findlay, Winning won his second match of the day with a win by decision over Kris Bowser to take a 3-0 lead. McKendree dropped the next two matches and trailed 8-3, only for Sanchez to win by a major decision at 197 pounds and senior Chas Maloch (Corona, Calif./Santiago) (Corona, Calif./Santiago) won by injury default at heavyweight to take a 13-8 lead with five matches left, but the Bearcats would only win one remaining match, a forfeit win by Lowe at 133 pounds, and would lose the dual 21-19.

Illinois 29, McKendree 16

165: Aaron Winning (Highland, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (MU) dec. #19 Conrad Polz (ILL), 11-5, 0-3

174: #9 Jordan Blanton (ILL) maj. dec. David Dwyer (South Beloit, Ill./Hononegah) (MU), 15-7, 4-3

184: #7 John Dergo (ILL) pinned Andrew Barbier (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) (MU), 4:14, 10-3

197: Andrew Sanchez (Shiloh, Ill./O'Fallon) (MU) dec. Patrick Bond (ILL), 4-0, 10-6

HWT: Marty Smith (ILL) pinned Chas Maloch (Corona, Calif./Santiago) (MU), 4:00, 16-6

125: B.J. Futrell (ILL) pinned A.J. Ciccarelli (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) (MU), 5:39, 22-6

133: Wade Lowe (Godfrey, Ill./Alton) (MU) pinned Daryl Thomas (ILL), 2:29, 22-12

141: Kyle Williams (Scott Air Force Base, Ill./Mascoutah) (MU) maj. dec. Vince Vercelli (ILL), 15-2, 22-16

149: Jake Beechy (ILL) dec. Jake Murphy (Wilmington, Ill./Wilmington) (MU), 4-3, 25-16

157: Clint Arlis (ILL) maj. dec. Isaiah Gonzalez (Montgomery, Ill./Montini Catholic) (MU), 10-0, 29-16

Findlay 21, McKendree 19

165:  Aaron Winning (Highland, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (MU) dec. Kris Bowser (UF), 6-1 (0-3)

174: Justin Shannon (UF) tech. fall David Dwyer (South Beloit, Ill./Hononegah) (MU), 15-0 (3:21) (5-3)

184: Jeff Havelka (UF) dec. Andrew Barbier (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) (MU), 8-2 (8-3)

197: Andrew Sanchez (Shiloh, Ill./O'Fallon) (MU) maj. dec. Daniel Stevenson (UF), 14-5 (8-7)

HWT: Chas Maloch (Corona, Calif./Santiago) (MU) inj. def. Matt Clum (UF) (8-13)

125: Nick Weisjahn (UF) dec. A.J. Ciccarelli (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) (MU), 6-0 (11-13)

133: Wade Lowe (Godfrey, Ill./Alton) (MU) win by forfeit over N/A (UF) (11-19)

141: Josh Falk (UF) dec. Kyle Williams (Scott Air Force Base, Ill./Mascoutah) (MU), 5-1 (14-19)

149: Jeremy Espinoza (UF) maj. dec. Jake Murphy (Wilmington, Ill./Wilmington) (MU), 12-0 (18-19)

157: Michael Lybarger (UF) dec. Isaiah Gonzalez (Montgomery, Ill./Montini Catholic) (MU), 4-1 (21-19)

-McK-