Michigan
Ohio State
U-M Wins Final Three Weights to Rally Past Buckeyes
2/11/2001 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team put an end to No. 9 Ohio State's 15-match win streak with a 20-18 Big Ten Conference decision Sunday (Feb. 11) in front of 1,300 fans at Cliff Keen Arena. The Wolverines (15-3-1, 5-1 Big Ten) won the last three weights, including a key pin by senior captain and All-American Otto Olson (Everett, Wash./Everett HS), and rallied from an 18-7 deficit for their fifth straight win.
The Maize and Blue was down 6-0 after two matches until No. 9-ranked 125-pounder A.J. Grant (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS) defeated No. 20 Kore Sharpley with an 8-0 major decision. U-M's Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J./The Peddie School) then gave the Wolverines a 7-6 lead with a 7-5 win over No. 20 Jeff Ratliff. The Wolverines could not maintain their lead in the next three matches but Charles Martelli (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North HS) started the turnaround for U-M with a 6-5 decision over John Clark to bring the Wolverines within eight points, 18-10.
With only two weight classes remaining the Wolverines looked to Olson for points. Olson's opponent, Ryan Heiber, came out strong but Olson pinned the Buckeye at the 2:50 mark and cut OSU's lead to two points, 18-16. Junior Andy Hrovat (Gates Mills, Ohio/St. Edwards HS) earned a major decision, 13-5, over Nick Preston in the final weight class of the afternoon to give the Wolverines the 20-18 win.
U-M is home next weekend for more Big Ten Conference action against Penn State (Feb. 16) at 7 p.m.
Michigan 20, Ohio State 18
(Individual rankings from Intermat, 2/6/01)
| 197 -- #11 Nick Preston (OSU) dec. #9 Joe DeGain, 5-3 | OSU, 3-0 |
| Hwt -- #1 Tommy Rowlands (OSU) dec. #3 Matt Brink, 4-3 (2OT) | OSU, 6-0 |
| 125 -- #9 A.J. Grant (U-M) major dec. #20 Kore Sharpley, 8-0 | OSU, 6-4 |
| 133 -- #8 Foley Dowd (U-M) dec. #20 Jeff Ratliff, 7-5 | U-M, 7-6 |
| 141 -- #11 Robert Sessley (OSU) dec. #14 Clark Forward, 5-2 | OSU, 9-7 |
| 149 -- #16 Keaton Anderson (OSU) pinned #11 Mike Kulczycki, 3:56 | OSU, 15-7 |
| 157 -- Josh Janson (OSU) dec. Pat Owen, 10-9 | OSU, 18-7 |
| 165 -- #8 Charles Martelli (U-M) dec. John Clark, 6-5 | OSU, 18-10 |
| 174 -- #2 Otto Olson (U-M) pinned Ryan Hieber, 2:50 | OSU, 18-16 |
| 184 -- #6 Andy Hrovat (U-M) major dec. #16 Anton Talamantes, 13-5 | U-M, 20-18 |
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Joe McFarland
On the meet ... "I was really proud of the way the guys came back to win. We didn't have our best team performance, being upset in a couple matches, but the team is a little tired. A few days of rest should get us ready for down the stretch."
Senior Captain Otto Olson
On his strategy ... "I needed a tech. fall or a pin and I decided to go for the pin because of all the takedowns I was getting. It was a tough match; (Ryan) Hieber came out strong."
Contact: Karen Simpson (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
