Michigan
Purdue
Michigan Battles Back to Dominate No. 24 Boilermakers
1/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Before a Cliff Keen Arena crowd of 771 fans, the fourth-ranked University of Michigan wrestling squad came back hard from an early deficit and cruised to a 27-9 win over the 24th-ranked Purdue Boilermakers on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 27). The Wolverines won seven of the individual matches in the team victory.
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At the 125-pound weight class, Purdue extended its lead to six points when third-ranked Chris Fleeger was able to earn a takedown with under 10 seconds remaining in the match against Michigan's eighth-ranked A.J. Grant (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS), which gave him the 3-1 decision at the buzzer.
Eighth-ranked Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J./The Peddie School) got things rolling for the Wolverines by defeating Rene Hernandez by an 11-8 margin. Dowd collected four takedowns and earned 3:02 in riding time to put Michigan on the board after the 133-pound match.
At 141 pounds, Clark Forward (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold HS) kept Michigan's momentum high with his dominant performance over Randy Pursley. Forward recorded six takedowns to earn a 15-6 major decision, giving the Wolverines the team lead.
In the 149-pound match, seventh-ranked Mike Kulczycki (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edward HS) started strongly against Dan Jankowski, recording three first-period takedowns. Kulczycki added another four takedowns and collected 3:05 in riding time to take the 18-7 major decision.
After the break, fifth-ranked Ryan Bertin (Broadview Heights, Ohio/St. Edward HS) squared off against Brad Harper in the 157-pound match. Bertin recorded four takedowns and held Harper to only three escapes to earn the 10-3 decision.
Purdue collected three more team points at the 165-pound match when Oscar Santiago earned an upset victory over the Wolverines' Charles Martelli (Naperville, Ill./North HS). Martelli tied up the score midway through the third period, but after he cut Santiago loose and gave the Boilermaker a point for the escape, Martelli was unable to record another takedown and lost 6-5.
In the 174-pound match, top-ranked Otto Olson (Everett, Wash./Everett HS) fell behind early to eighth-ranked Ryan Lange as Lange scored an early takedown. However, Olson battled back, recording two takedowns and a two-point near fall to win the match 9-3.
At 184 pounds, fourth-ranked Andy Hrovat (Gates Mills, Ohio/St. Edward HS) dominated Purdue's Jon Fitch, recording four first-period takedowns en route to a 17-5 major decision victory. At 197 pounds, Purdue did not weigh in a wrestler, and Michigan's Kyle Smith (Butte, Mont./Butte HS) won by forfeit.
Olson and Hrovat will take part in the NWCA All-Star Classic on Monday (Jan. 28, 7 p.m.) at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. Olson, the top-ranked 174-pounder, will wrestle fifth-ranked Rick Springman of Penn, while No. 4 Hrovat will face No. 1 Victor Sveda of Indiana at 184 pounds.
Michigan's next team action will be a home dual meet against Big Ten rival Illinois on Friday (Feb. 1, 7 p.m.) at Cliff Keen Arena. The Wolverines will welcome back wrestling alumni to the meet and honor past Big Ten champions in a special ceremony at halftime.
#4 Michigan 27, #24 Purdue 9
(Individual rankings from Intermat, 1/22/02)
| Hwt -- #5 Jacob Vercelli (PU) dec. #8 Matt Brink, 6-1 | PU, 3-0 |
| 125 -- #3 Chris Fleeger (PU) dec. #8 A.J. Grant, 3-1 | PU, 6-0 |
| 133 -- #8 Foley Dowd (U-M) dec. Rene Hernandez, 11-8 | PU, 6-3 |
| 141 -- Clark Forward (U-M) major dec. Randy Pursley, 15-6 | U-M, 7-6 |
| 149 -- #7 Mike Kulczycki (U-M) major dec. Dan Jankowski, 18-7 | U-M, 11-6 |
| 157 -- #5 Ryan Bertin (U-M) dec. Brad Harper, 10-3 | U-M, 14-6 |
| 165 -- Oscar Santiago (PU) dec. #7 Charles Martelli, 6-5 | U-M, 14-9 |
| 174 -- #1 Otto Olson (U-M) dec. #8 Ryan Lange, 9-3 | U-M, 17-9 |
| 184 -- #4 Andy Hrovat (U-M) major dec. Jon Fitch, 17-5 | U-M, 21-9 |
| 197 -- #5 Kyle Smith (U-M) won by forfeit | U-M, 27-9 |
Period-by-Period Scoring
Hwt -- Matt Brink (U-M) vs. Jake Vercelli (PU) M-P 1st period Vercelli takedown 0-2 2nd period Vercelli escape 0-3 3rd period Vercelli stalling 1-3 Vercelli takedown 1-5 Vercelli riding time 1-6 125 -- A.J. Grant (U-M) vs. Chris Fleeger (PU) 1st period No scoring 2nd period Grant escape 1-0 3rd period Fleeger escape 1-1 Fleeger takedown 1-3 133 -- Foley Dowd (U-M) vs. Rene Hernandez (PU) 1st period Hernandez takedown 0-2 Dowd escape 1-2 Dowd takedown 3-2 Hernandez escape 3-3 Dowd takedown 5-3 2nd period Hernandez escape 5-4 Dowd takedown 7-4 Hernandez escape 7-5 Hernandez takedown 7-7 3rd period Dowd escape 8-7 Dowd takedown 10-7 Hernandez escape 10-8 Dowd riding time 11-8 141 -- Clark Forward (U-M) vs. Randy Pursley (PU) 1st period Forward takedown 2-0 2nd period Forward escape 3-0 Forward takedown 5-0 Pursley escape 5-1 Forward takedown 7-1 Pursley escape 7-2 Forward takedown 9-2 Pursley escape 9-3 3rd period Pursley escape 9-4 Forward takedown 11-4 Pursley escape 11-5 Forward takedown 13-5 Pursley escape 13-6 Pursley stalling 14-6 Forward riding time 15-6 149 -- Mike Kulczycki (U-M) vs. Dan Jankowski (PU) 1st period Kulczycki takedown 2-0 Jankowski escape 2-1 Kulczycki takedown 4-1 Jankowski escape 4-2 Kulczycki takedown 6-2 2nd period Kulczycki escape 7-2 Jankowski takedown 7-4 Kulczycki escape 8-4 Kulczycki takedown 10-4 3rd period Jankowski escape 10-5 Kulczycki takedown 12-5 Jankowski escape 12-6 Kulczycki takedown 14-6 Jankowski escape 14-7 Jankowski stalling 15-7 Kulczycki takedown 17-7 Kulczycki riding time 18-7 157 -- Ryan Bertin (U-M) vs. Brad Harper (PU) 1st period Bertin takedown 2-0 Harper escape 2-1 2nd period Bertin escape 3-1 Bertin takedown 5-1 3rd period Harper escape 5-2 Bertin takedown 7-2 Harper escape 7-3 Bertin takedown 9-3 Bertin riding time 10-3 165 -- Charles Martelli (U-M) vs. Oscar Santiago (PU) 1st period Santiago takedown 0-2 Martelli escape 1-2 2nd period Martelli escape 2-2 3rd period Santiago escape 2-3 Santiago takedown 2-5 Martelli escape 3-5 Martelli takedown 5-5 Santiago escape 5-6 174 -- Otto Olson (U-M) vs. Ryan Lange (PU) 1st period Lange takedown 0-2 Olson escape 1-2 2nd period Olson escape 2-2 Olson takedown 4-2 3rd period Olson takedown 6-2 Olson near fall 8-2 Lange escape 8-3 Olson riding time 9-3 184 -- Andy Hrovat (U-M) vs. Jon Fitch (PU) 1st period Hrovat takedown 2-0 Fitch escape 2-1 Hrovat takedown 4-1 Fitch escape 4-2 Hrovat takedown 6-2 Fitch escape 6-3 Fitch stalling 7-3 Hrovat takedown 9-3 Fitch escape 9-4 2nd period Fitch stalling 10-4 Hrovat escape 11-4 Hrovat takedown 13-4 3rd period Fitch escape 13-5 Fitch stalling 15-5 Hrovat takedown 17-5 197 -- Kyle Smith (U-M) won by forfeit
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
