Wolverines Unable to Complete Comeback at Indiana

Friday, February 9

Bloomington, Ind.

Michigan

Indiana

2/9/2007 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Despite splitting matches evenly and rallying with several wins at the middleweights and upperweights, the No. 23-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team could not complete the comeback against No. 22 Indiana, falling 21-15 on Friday evening (Feb. 9) at University Gym.

After Indiana built up a significant advantage with wins in three of the opening five matches, including pins at 125 and 157 pounds, the Wolverines cut down the gap to three points entering the final bout of the contest. Junior/sophomore Casey White (Commerce Twp., Mich./Walled Lake Central HS), who weighed in at heavyweight for the first time this season, nearly had his match won until sacrificing a three-point near fall in the closing seconds to fall by an 11-9 margin.

The heavyweight bout was wrestled almost entirely on the mat as White and Indiana's Josh Buuck combined for seven reversals. White scored first, immediately after a Buuck takedown was called off, but had a difficult time keeping Buuck underneath as the Hoosier wrestler came around for a quick reversal. After a few more reversals in the second, including two by White, the Wolverine held a 7-4 edge entering the final period. The wrestlers again swapped reversals, but Buuck had the last word, taking control with 10 seconds remaining and adding three back points at the buzzer.

Sophomore/freshman Justin Chrzanowski (Metamora, Mich./Lapeer West HS) converted a pair of takedowns en route to his first win of the season, a 6-0 decision over the Hoosiers' Scott Kelly at 141 pounds, to put the Wolverines on the board. After a scoreless opening frame, Chrzanowski struck early in the second, countering on a Kelly single-leg attempt to force a scramble and maneuver his way to the top. The Wolverine scored again in the third in similar fashion, sprawling on Kelly's single-leg shot before reaching back to break the lock and spin around. Chrzanowski held Kelly without an escape in each period to accumulate 1:59 in riding time advantage.

Senior/junior Josh Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS), ranked second nationally in the latest NWCA/InterMat poll, needed the round of tiebreakers to squeeze past 18th-ranked Matt Coughlin 3-2 at 149 pounds. The Wolverine controlled the action through much of the match but was unable to score from the neutral or top positions. Churella rode the Hoosier for much of the third period, but a technical violation left Coughlin in the match and forced overtime. After a scoreless sudden-victory frame, Churella earned a quick escape and subsequently kept Coughlin flat for the full 30 seconds to claim the victory.

At 165 pounds, senior/junior Eric Tannenbaum (Naperville, Ill./North HS) made an early first-period takedown hold up and added an escape in the second to claim a 3-2 decision over 16th-ranked Max Dean. The Wolverine failed to convert on several additional single-leg attacks, but held Dean to a pair of escapes to remain undefeated at 18-0.

Junior/sophomore Tyrel Todd (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS), ranked fourth, executed a dominant performance against 11th-ranked Marc Bennett at 184 pounds, scoring five takedowns, including three in the third period, en route to a 13-7 decision. Forced to fight off several Michigan leg attacks through the first and second frame, Bennett was able to scramble to the top during a second-period flurry to score and keep the score close. After a quick Todd escape, the Wolverine immediately turned and reshot to score on the edge of the mat. Going after the bonus point in the third, Todd converted on three takedowns but could not finish on a fourth attempt as the final buzzer rang.

At 197 pounds, fifth-year senior Nick Roy (Wall, N.J./Wall HS), ranked 19th, used a takedown midway through the overtime frame to secure a 3-1 decision over Nathan Everhart. Roy had a deep single leg shot as time ran out at the end of regulation and was able to finish on the same shot in extra time to claim the match.

The Wolverines will return home to Cliff Keen Arena on Sunday (Feb. 11) to host No. 17-ranked Ohio State in a 2 p.m. conference slate.

#22 Indiana 21, #23 Michigan 15
Individual rankings from NWCA/InterMat

125 -- #8 Angel Escobedo (IU) pinned Michael Watts, 6:08	IU, 6-0
133 -- Andrae Hernandez (IU) dec. Chris Diehl, 3-1	IU, 9-0
141 -- Justin Chrzanowski (U-M) dec. Scott Kelly, 6-0	IU, 9-3
149 -- #2 Josh Churella (U-M) dec. #18 Matt Coughlin, 3-2	IU, 9-6
157 -- #7 Brandon Becker (IU) pinned Braden L'Amoreaux, 4:32	IU, 15-6
165 -- #2 Eric Tannenbaum (U-M) dec. #16 Max Dean, 3-2	IU, 15-9
174 -- Trevor Perry (IU) dec. Jordan Sherrod, 10-4	IU, 18-9
184 -- #4 Tyrel Todd (U-M) dec. #11 Marc Bennett, 13-7	IU, 18-12
197 -- #17 Nick Roy (U-M) dec. Nathan Everhart, 3-1 SV	IU, 18-15
285 -- Josh Buuck (IU) dec. Casey White, 11-9	IU, 21-15