Michigan
Illinois
Wolverines Suffer First Big Ten Loss at Illinois
1/26/2020 5:00:00 PM | Wrestling
» No. 25 Michigan could not take advantage of multiple close swing matches in a 20-13 loss at Illinois -- the Wolverines' first Big Ten loss of the season.
» Kanen Storr (149 pounds), Will Lewan (157), Jackson Striggow (197) and Mason Parris (Hwt) won their individual bouts; Storr earned bonus with a 14-4 major decision against Mousa Jodeh.
» Parris improved to 21-0 on the season.
Site: Champaign, Ill. (Huff Hall)
Score: Illinois 20, #25 Michigan 13
Records: U-M (5-3, 4-1 Big Ten), Illinois (5-3, 2-2 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 1 -- vs. Rutgers (New York, N.Y.), 1 p.m.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The No. 25-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team could not capitalize in several close swing matches in a 20-13 loss at Illinois on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 26) at Huff Hall. The loss snapped the Wolverines' four-dual win streak and handed them their first Big Ten Conference loss of the season.
Michigan won four bouts in pairs, with senior/junior Kanen Storr and sophomore/freshman Will Lewan winning back-to-back at 149 and 157 pounds, respectively, and fifth-year senior Jackson Striggow and sophomore Mason Parris closing out the dual with decisions at 197 pounds and heavyweight.
Storr, ranked ninth nationally, earned bonus for the second time this weekend, using five takedowns and 2:59 in riding-time advantage to cruise to a 14-4 major decision against Mousa Jodeh and get Michigan on the board after three straight Illini wins to open the dual. Storr capitalized on a variety of attacks but closed out the third with a pair of single legs to secure the bonus. Lewan, ranked 12th at 157 pounds, finished on a third-period single leg of his own to edge Eric Barone, 3-1.
Michigan's final two match wins came after the Fighting Illini clinched the dual with a 5-4 comeback win -- off a late takedown and rideout -- at 184 pounds. Striggow scored two takedowns off high crotches in the second and third periods to defeat Matt Wroblewski, 5-2, at 197.
Parris, ranked second nationally, closed out the dual with a decisive 12-5 win over Luke Luffman in the final bout at heavyweight, scoring on five takedowns and accumulating 2:24 in riding-time advantage. Pressing for the major late, Parris drew one stall warning but not a second. He improved to 21-0 on the season.
Michigan could not capitalize on fading Illini opponents in two close matches to open the dual at the lowerweights. Junior/sophomore Jack Medley dropped a 3-2 decision to Justin Cardani at 125 pounds after a first-period takedown. Medley could not finish on a second-period attack on the edge and drew a stall warning but not two. Fifth-year senior Austin Assad did earn a stall point and a pair of third-period takedowns, but his comeback bid against seventh-ranked Travis Piotrowski fell short in a 9-7 decision.
The Wolverines led at 184 pounds until late in the third period after junior/sophomore Jelani Embree won a late first-period scramble to score the go-ahead takedown with just three seconds remaining against Zac Braunagel. Illinois used a second-period takedown to narrow the score, but Embree led after an escape in the third until Braunagel finished on a single in the waning moments of the third and rode out the bout for the win.
The Wolverines will take on Rutgers next Saturday (Feb. 1) in the Big Ten's Super Saturday event at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Michigan will take on the Scarlet Knights at 1 p.m., before the Wolverine men's basketball team completes the doubleheader with a 4:30 p.m. slate against Rutgers.
Illinois 20, No. 25 Michigan 13
Individual rankings by InterMat
125 -- Justin Cardani (UI) dec. Jack Medley, 3-2 -- UI, 3-0
133 -- #7 Travis Piotrowski (UI) dec. Austin Assad, 9-7 -- UI, 6-0
141 -- #15 Dylan Duncan (UI) dec. Cole Mattin, 6-0 -- UI, 9-0
149 -- #9 Kanen Storr (U-M) major dec. Mousa Jodeh, 14-4 -- UI, 9-3
157 -- #12 Will Lewan (U-M) dec. Eric Barone, 3-1 -- UI, 9-7
165 -- #14 Danny Braunagel (UI) major dec. Reece Hughes, 10-2 -- U-M, 13-7
174 -- #9 Joey Gunther (UI) major dec. Max Maylor, 15-3 -- UI, 17-7
184 -- #14 Zach Braunagel (UI) dec. #13 Jelani Embree, 5-4 -- UI, 20 -7
197 -- Jackson Striggow (U-M) dec. Matt Wroblewski, 5-2 -- UI, 20-10
Hwt -- #2 Mason Parris (U-M) dec. Luke Luffman, 12-5 -- UI, 20-13
Players Mentioned
