Takedowns late in the first period were a common theme for Ohio State in this one, as the Buckeyes went ahead 2-0 with less than 30 seconds remaining in the opening period in each of the day's first three bouts. That `attack to the whistle' mentality continued throughout the evening with several more Buckeyes also garnering takedowns seconds before the buzzer.
The dual started at 184 pounds where Myles Martin finished off a takedown with two ticks left in the first frame versus No. 3 Pete Renda. Martin snagged an ankle and was momentarily awarded another takedown in the second stanza before the Wolfpack bench successfully challenged the ruling and the two points were reversed. Renda would pick up the escape later in the period and that 2-1 ledger remained until Martin nailed a six-pointer with four nearfall tallies in the final minute of an 8-1 decision to open the evening.
Kollin Moore registered a takedown as time wound down in the opening frame as well. Scoring was minimal in the second stanza and for much of the third period. Then, NC State's Michael Macchiavello caught Moore for a pair of takedowns in the final 20 seconds and stole a 7-5 decision over the nation's top-ranked 197-pounder.
Kyle Snyder got off to a slow start before becoming the third consecutive Buckeye to notch the late-period takedown in the first. It seemed to unhitch the wagon as Snyder got revved up from there and began his patented `catch-and-release' takedown parade. He racked up 10 takedowns in total and utilized a riding time point to record his 23-8 tech fall over No. 19 Michael Boykin.
As the lineup flipped over to 125 pounds, Sean Fausz struck first by taking down Nathan Tomasello for a 2-0 edge. The upper hand was short-lived, however, as Tomasello regrouped with a 12-4 run to storm back as a 12-6 victor in the Top-5 showdown.
Luke Pletcher fell behind 2-0, too, but got back on track with yet another late-period takedown to close out the first leading 5-3. He escaped in the second and then rode out Ohio native and 13th-ranked Tariq Wilson for the entire third frame in a 7-3 decision. Joey McKenna wasn't down with the get-down when it came to waiting for that takedown. He secured his right away and added another by period's end to go ahead 4-1 over No. 2 Kevin Jack through 180 seconds. He'd stretch the gap to four points at 6-2 before all was said and done, continuing his recent hot streak.
Ke-Shawn Hayes kept the pressure on at 149 pounds, posting Ohio State's sixth straight triumph. He did a little bit of everything in getting past No. 13 Beau Donahue, 11-5, for his 23rd overall win of the year.
North Carolina State freshman Hayden Hidlay entered the 157-pound clash as one of just 14 undefeated wrestlers left across the country, and left as such (20-0) despite a scare from Micah Jordan. Ebbs and flows were aplenty, beginning with Jordan's takedown in the first period. Hidlay escaped and then turned Jordan for a pair of nearfall tallies after Jordan elected to start period number two in the referee's position. Jordan would free himself to even the score at 3-3 entering the third. Hidlay's instant escape to start the third lifted him back ahead at 4-3, and then he sealed the deal with a takedown for a 6-3 decision.
Te'Shan Campbell got back to the win column and narrowly missed out on bonus points. He put away Brian Hamann, 7-0, and then took a seat to witness Bo Jordan close it out in only 97 seconds at 174 pounds. Jordan's 80th career win came via pin (1:37).
Results:
184 lbs | #2 Myles Martin (OSU) dec. #3 Pete Renda, 8-1; Team Score: 3-0
197 lbs | #7 Michael Macchiavello (NCSU) dec. #1 Kollin Moore, 7-5; TS: 3-3
285 lbs | #2 Kyle Snyder (OSU) tech fall #19 Michael Boykin, 23-8; TS: 8-3
125 lbs | #4 Nathan Tomasello (OSU) dec. #5 Sean Fausz, 12-6; TS: 11-3
133 lbs | #3 Luke Pletcher (OSU) dec. #13 Tariq Wilson, 7-3; TS: 14-3
141 lbs | #7 Joey McKenna (OSU) dec. #2 Kevin Jack, 6-2; TS: 17-3
149 lbs | #6 Ke-Shawn Hayes (OSU) dec. #13 Beau Donahue, 11-5; TS: 20-3
157 lbs | #3 Hayden Hidlay (NCSU) dec. #7 Micah Jordan, 6-3; TS: 20-6
165 lbs | #14 Te'Shan Campbell (OSU) dec. Brian Hamann, 7-0; TS: 23-6
174 lbs | #6 Bo Jordan (OSU) fall Daniel Bullard, 1:37; TS: 29-6
The Big Ten Championships are next, contested March 3-4 at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich.
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