With the dual meet starting at 197 pounds, the Boilermakers took a sizable and unexpected advantage when sophomore/freshman Anthony Biondo (Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley HS) was forced to default midway through the second period. Purdue claimed a decision victory subsequent contest at heavyweight to push its lead to nine points.
Junior Michael Watts (Riverton, Utah/Riverton HS) and sophomore Chris Diehl (Burton, Mich./Flint Kearsley HS) initiated the Wolverines' rally with back-to-back decisions at 125 and 133 pounds, respectively. After a scoreless first period against the Boilermakers' Akif Eren, Watts picked up a quick escape in the second and rode out the final frame, building 1:38 in time advantage to win 2-0. Diehl took a different path en route to his 10-4 victory over Sean Schmaltz in the following bout, dominating the first period with a quick drag and later a blast double that put the Boilermaker on his back for an additional two points midway through the frame. The Wolverine wrestler added a single-leg takedown in the third and accumulated 2:24 in riding time to claim his first career win in a conference dual meet.
Freshman Kellen Russell (High Bridge, N.J./Blair Academy) gave Michigan its first advantage of the meet -- entering the halftime intermission -- after securing a bonus point for his team with a 10-0 major decision over Matt Redmond at 141 pounds. Russell, ranked third in the latest NWCA/InterMat national poll, broke open a scoreless match in the second period with a quick fireman's carry and used a reverse half late in the frame to tack on three back points. He added another takedown midway through the third and built up nearly three minutes in riding time to claim his fourth consecutive win.
After Purdue claimed its final individual victory of the dual meet at 149 pounds, where junior/sophomore Justin Chrzanowski (Metamora, Mich./Lapeer West HS) -- who was weighed in at 141 -- held 15th-ranked Jake Patascil to a decision, the Wolverines won the final four contests to cruise to the team victory. Fifth-year senior Jeff Marsh (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) came back from an early deficit after Sam Patacsil countered an early shot off the whistle to score the first takedown in the 157-pound contest. The Wolverine earned his escape quickly in the second frame to even the score and followed it with an immediate double leg -- all within the period's opening 10 seconds -- to win 5-3 after riding time. Marsh gave his team a scare late in the match when Patacsil threw the U-M wrestler to his back, but Marsh stayed in motion and scrambled back to his feet, refusing to give up a single point.
Michigan dominated in the final three contests as fifth-year senior Eric Tannenbaum (Northville, Ill./North HS), senior/junior Steve Luke (Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS) and senior/junior Tyrel Todd (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) all took advantage of a dominant attack from their feet and outscored their opponents by a combined 36-10 margin. Tannenbaum, ranked third at 165 pounds, converted on seven takedowns -- mostly his trademark low single -- against Luke Manuel, including three in the middle period, to claim a 16-5 major decision.
Luke finished on three takedowns, using a variety of single and double legs, in the opening period to claim an early edge over Nick Corpe at 174 pounds. The Wolverine, ranked fourth, fought off a handful of deep shots in the remaining two periods and added a point at match's end for accumulating 1:29 in riding time to cap an 8-3 decision victory.
Todd used a balanced attack against A.J. Kissel in the final bout of the evening -- at 184 pounds -- scoring a pair of single-leg takedowns in the first period and adding one a piece in the second and third to claim a 12-2 major decision. Kissel wrestler chose top to start the final frame and rode Todd for much of the period to erase the Wolverine wrestler's riding time advantage. But Todd broke free late and immediately shot in on another low single, earning the call with about 30 seconds remaining in the period to maintain the major.
Michigan (14-3, 1-0 Big Ten) will continue its Big Ten slate Saturday evening (Jan. 26) with a home dual against fourth-ranked Minnesota. The meet is slated for a 7 p.m. start at Cliff Keen Arena.
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