The Panthers started the day right off against Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Sunday afternoon.

Against Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois though, the Panthers could not keep the wins coming as Eastern finished 1-2 at the Northern Illinois Duals.

Eastern jumped out to a 3-0 lead against SIU-E after A.J. Ciccarelli won a close 5-4 decision.

The teams traded forfeits throughout the meet. Eastern earned three forfeits, from the 133, 149, and heavyweight weight classes. SIU-E earned two, from senior 141-weight class Casey Carrino and from junior 197-weight class Jason Sherko.

Eastern had to forfeit those spots in all three matches.

While Eastern was pinned at both the 157-pound and 165-pound weight class, senior 174-pound class Kenny Robertson and junior 184-weight class Greg Perz helped cancel out the earlier pins with pins of their own. Eastern won 33-24.

“(The meet) went good,” Perz said. “The first kid I wrestled from Southern I pinned in the first period. The kid from Eastern Michigan I wrestled last year and won so I was confident I could again this year.”

Against EMU, a decision by Ciccarelli, a pin by Robertson, and a major decision by Perz was not enough to overcome the four pins EMU earned. The quickest pin of the day came in this meet at the heavyweight class, as freshman Joe Trinka was pinned in 25 seconds as the Panthers fell 34-19.

During the final meet of the day, the Panthers were overwhelmed by NIU as they only won two decisions, by Perz and Trinka.

Perz had already faced his opponent, Duke Burk, earlier in the year at the Midlands and lost 10-6. This time against the No. 15 ranked wrestler was different, though, as Perz was able to pull out a 3-1 win.

Robertson was able to take his wrestler into overtime, tied at 6. In overtime, Robertson was taken down to lose 8-6. The Panthers lost 36-6.