Michigan
Nebraska
Bonus Points Hurt Wolverines in Loss to No. 6 Nebraska
1/15/2017 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 15, 2017
» Stevan Micic, ranked eighth at 133 pounds, earned a decisive 13-7 win over third-ranked Eric Montoya behind four takedowns and 1:38 of riding-time advantage.
» Zac Hall (149 pounds) and Logan Massa (165) earned bonus points with a major decision and technical fall, respectively; Massa boasts 12 bonus wins in 18 matches this season.
Site: Lincoln, Neb. (Bob Devaney Sports Center)
Score: #6 Nebraska 29, #16 Michigan 15
Records: U-M (4-3, 1-3 Big Ten), NEB (9-1, 3-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match: Friday, Jan. 20 -- at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.), 7 p.m. CST
LINCOLN, Neb. -- The No. 16-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team picked up several impressive wins, including an upset decision at 133 pounds, but was doomed by bonus points in a 29-15 loss at No. 6 Nebraska on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 15) at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The Wolverines claimed four individual bouts with a pair of bonus wins.
Sophomore/freshman Stevan Micic, ranked eighth in the latest InterMat poll at 133 pounds, took it to No. 3 Eric Montoya in the dual's marquee match, winning 13-7 to hand the Cornhusker wrestler his first loss of the season. Micic finished on four takedowns, including two in the first period, and added a second-period reversal and 1:38 in riding-time advantage. Micic set the tone with a high crotch in the opening 30 seconds of the bout and dropped down on a double leg to ice it midway through the third before riding out the match. He improved to 13-3 on the season.
The Wolverines earned bonus points at 149 and 165 pounds, where junior/sophomore Zac Hall and sophomore/freshman Logan Massa earned a major decision and technical fall, respectively. Hall cruised to a 13-5 win against Collin Purinton, scoring on five takedowns, including three in the third period, and a two-point tilt in the second. With the bonus point in each, he finished on a front headlock in the waning seconds and rode out the match to accumulate 2:36 in time advantage.
Massa, ranked second nationally at 165 pounds, picked up his second technical fall of the weekend with a dominant 21-14 win over Justin Arthur, ending the bout at the 4:32 mark. Massa scored on six takedowns -- five in the first period -- and added eight back points off a pair of four-point bow and arrows. He is 18-0 on the season and boasts 12 bonus wins.
Sophomore/freshman Myles Amine, ranked eighth nationally at 174 pounds, rallied to defeat Micah Barnes, 4-2, in sudden victory and even up the dual score. After a scoreless first period, Barnes took the lead on a counter takedown late in the second frame, but Amine rode out the third, accumulating 1:26 in time advantage, to send the match to overtime. Amine finished a double leg just 20 seconds into the extra frame to secure the victory. He is 17-2 on the season.
Michigan made things close in three other bouts against ranked opposition. Sophomore/freshman Sal Profaci's rally fell just short in a 7-4 decision loss to 11th-ranked Colton McCrystal at 141 pounds; Profaci scored on a late takedown and was in deep on another at the final buzzer. Senior Brian Murphy, ranked 10th at 157 pounds, was knotted up, 1-1, against third-ranked Tyler Berger when he was reversed to his back and pinned early in the third period (5:25), while sophomore/freshman Jackson Striggow fell to seventh-ranked Aaron Studebaker, 2-0, on an escape and riding point at 197 pounds.
The Wolverines will return to the road next weekend, traveling to the Land of Lincoln for a pair of Big Ten duals. On Friday (Jan. 20), Michigan will face Illinois at 7 p.m. CST at Huff Hall in Champaign, Illinois, before wrapping up the weekend road trip on Sunday (Jan. 22) against Northwestern at 2 p.m. CST at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois.
#6 Nebraska 29, #16 Michigan 15
Individual rankings from InterMat
| Match | Score |
| 125 -- #5 Tim Lambert (NU) won by forfeit | NU, 6-0 |
| 133 -- #8 Stevan Micic (U-M) dec. #3 Eric Montoya, 13-7 | NU, 6-3 |
| 141 -- #11 Colton McCrystal (NU) dec. Sal Profaci, 7-4 | NU, 9-3 |
| 149 -- Zac Hall (U-M) major dec. Collin Purinton, 13-5 | NU, 9-7 |
| 157 -- #3 Tyler Berger (NU) pinned #10 Brian Murphy, 5:25 | NU, 15-7 |
| 165 -- #2 Logan Massa (U-M) tech. fall Justin Arthur, 21-4 (4:32) | NU, 15-12 |
| 174 -- #8 Myles Amine (U-M) dec. Micah Barnes, 4-2 SV | Tied, 15-15 |
| 184 -- #3 TJ Dudley (NU) pinned Ernest Battaglia, 1:06 | NU, 21-15 |
| 197 -- #7 Aaron Studebaker (NU) dec. Jackson Striggow, 2-0 | NU, 24-15 |
| Hwt -- #15 Collin Jensen (NU) pinned Dan Perry, 17-2 (4:05) | NU, 29-15 |
Communications Contact: Leah Howard
Players Mentioned
