Wolverines Battle Back to Upset Second-Ranked Iowa

Friday, February 15

Iowa City, Iowa

7:00 PM CT

Michigan

Iowa

2/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The third-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team recorded its fifth consecutive Big Ten Conference win with a 20-15 come-from-behind victory over the second-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday (Feb. 15). Wrestling before a crowd of 7,456 fans at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the Wolverines won the final five individual matches to rebound from a 15-4 deficit at the halftime break.

Smith

After three straight wins pulled the Wolverines back to within 15-13, top-ranked 184-pounder Andy Hrovat (Gates Mills, Ohio/St. Edward HS) dominated fourth-ranked Jessman Smith, earning a 14-4 major decision to give the Wolverines the lead, 17-15. In the deciding match, fifth-ranked 197-pounder Kyle Smith (Butte, Mont./Butte HS) capped off the Wolverines' comeback with a 6-3 decision over Trey Clark.

Starting the dual meet at heavyweight, U-M fell behind early when Iowa's top-ranked Steve Mocco earned a 6-3 decision over 12th-ranked Matt Brink (Muskegon, Mich./Fruitport HS). The Hawkeyes built on their early lead at 125 pounds, when eighth-ranked A.J. Grant (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS) was upset by the Haweyes' ninth-ranked Luke Eustice, who earned the 3-1 decision in overtime.

Seventh-ranked Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J./The Peddie School) put the Wolverines on the board with an upset victory over fifth-ranked Cliff Moore in the 133-pound match. The sophomore earned a 12-4 major decision to pull U-M within two team points of the Hawkeyes, 6-4.

Iowa extended its lead with back-to-back wins at 141 and 149 pounds. Luke Moffitt pinned Michigan's Shaun Newton (Davison, Mich./Davison HS), who made his varsity debut at 141 pounds, at the 3:28 mark of the bout. At 149 pounds, seventh-ranked Mike Kulczycki (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edward HS) squared off against top-ranked Mike Zadick and took the Hawkeye into an overtime period before losing by a 10-8 margin.

Down by 11 team points at the halftime break, the Wolverines responded by winning the final five matches to earn the team victory. The comeback started at 157 pounds, where fifth-ranked Ryan Bertin (Broadview Heights, Ohio/St. Edward HS) beat eighth-ranked Matt Anderson 13-7. In the 165-pound bout, 11th-ranked Charles Martelli (Naperville, Ill./North HS) earned a 12-5 decision over Jason D'Agata, and top-ranked 174-pounder Otto Olson (Everett, Wash./Everett HS) extended his season record to 31-0 with a 13-6 decision over Tyler Nixt, bringing the Wolverine squad within two team points, 15-13.

The Wolverines will continue their Big Ten road schedule in Madison, Wis., on Sunday (Feb. 17), taking on the 16th-ranked Badgers at the UW Field House at 1 p.m. CST.

#3 Michigan 20, #2 Iowa 15
(Individual rankings from Intermat, 2/12/02)

Hwt -- #1 Steve Mocco (Iowa) dec. #12 Matt Brink, 6-3	Iowa, 3-0
125 C #9 Luke Eustice (Iowa) dec. #8 A.J. Grant, 3-1 (OT)	Iowa, 6-0
133 -- #7 Foley Dowd (U-M) major dec. #5 Cliff Moore, 12-4	Iowa, 6-4
141 -- Luke Moffitt (Iowa) pinned Shaun Newton, 3:28	Iowa, 12-4
149 -- #1 Mike Zadick (Iowa) dec. #7 Mike Kulczycki, 10-8 (OT)	Iowa, 15-4
157 -- #5 Ryan Bertin (U-M) dec. #8 Matt Anderson, 13-7	Iowa, 15-7
165 -- #11 Charles Martelli (U-M) dec. Jason D'Agata, 12-5	Iowa, 15-10
174 -- #1 Otto Olson (U-M) dec. #7 Tyler Nixt, 13-6	Iowa, 15-13
184 -- #1 Andy Hrovat (U-M) major dec. #5 Jessman Smith, 14-4	U-M, 17-15
197 -- #5 Kyle Smith (U-M) dec. Trey Clark, 6-3	U-M, 20-15