In a match that almost did not happen, Cleveland State got the best of John Carroll by a 40-6 count Sunday afternoon at Woodling Gym on the CSU campus in downtown Cleveland.

The Vikings were granted a reprieve after it was announced on March 30, 2015, that the university was pulling funding for the 52-year-old wrestling program and instead giving that money to lacrosse. With support from the school's alumni, particularly those who wrestled, and the wrestling community, the sport was reinstated.

That meant that the John Carroll vs. Cleveland State rivalry -- which had been staged annually since the 1981-82 season  and dates all the way back t0 January 12, 1965 -- would not skip a beat.

In today's 46th meeting, John Carroll began in an 18-0 hole due to injury-related forfeits at 125, 133 and 141 pounds. Once the wrestling started, Cleveland State built its lead to 25-0 with victories at 149 and 157. In the 157-pound bout, Blake Dixon acquitted himself well as he battled to a 9-9 draw late into the match but could not get one more takedown to erase the riding advantage against him and lost 10-9.

Tyler Hardtke got John carroll on the board with a 6-2 decision at 165 pounds, after which Thomas McNulty produced another JCU win with a 9-5 victory at 174.

Cleveland State won the final three matches decisively to run its winning streak to 17 in a row over John Carroll since a 19-19 tie in 1998.

125 - Evan Cheek (CSU) won by forfeit;  133 - Mike Kostandaras (CSU) won by forfeit; 141 - Michael Carlone (CSU) won by forfeit;  149 - Nick Montgomery(CSU) over John Connick, maj. 15-3;  157 - Chas Busz (CSU) over Blake Dixon, dec. 10-9;  165 - Tyler Hardtke (JCU) over John Vaughn, dec. 6-4;  174 - Tom McNulty (JC) over  Gabe Stark, dec. 9-5; 184 - Nathan Wynkoop (CSU) over Gabe Susinski, TF 21-5;  197 - Sam Wheeler (CSU) over Russ Porter, Fall 2:51;  285 - Riley Shaw (CSU) over Will Porter, maj .11-2