Michigan (9-7-1, 4-1-1) won eight individual matches and earned bonus points in three, including a forfeit victory at 133 pounds, to snap a three-dual losing streak against the Nittany Lions and remain near the top of the Big Ten Conference standings.
Sophomore Kellen Russell (High Bridge, N.J./Blair Academy), ranked fifth at 141 pounds, opened the dual meet with his 15th consecutive win, earning a 3-1 decision against Frank Molinaro for the second time this season. After a scoreless first period, Russell took the only lead he needed on a reversal midway through the second frame, coming out on top of an extended scramble and nearly putting the Nittany Lion wrestler to his back before the official stopped action due to Molinaro's chinstrap coming up across his face. Russell picked up an additional point in the third when, out of a scramble and with the Wolverine draped over his shoulder, Molinaro threw himself backward to slam Russell on the mat. Russell, who improved to 6-0 in Big Ten duals, has not lost a match in more than two months.
A Penn State victory at 149 pounds evened the dual score, but the Wolverines reeled off six straight wins to lock up the team victory. Junior/sophomore Aaron Hynes (Mt. Morris, Mich./Flint Kearsley HS) claimed his second bonus win of the weekend with a dominant performance in the 157-pound contest, using a combination of leg attacks and turns to take a 17-6 major decision against Tim Darling. Hynes converted on an early double leg and a late front headlock and scored the remainder of his points on the mat, demonstrating a good knack for scrambling with three separate four-point moves. Hynes nearly had Darling stacked up on two occasions, but the Nittany Lion was able to stay off his back as Hynes had to settle for the major.
Sophomore Justin Zeerip (Fremont, Mich./Hesperia HS) picked up his first win over a ranked opponent in the 165-pound contest, rallying back from an early deficit to defeat 20th-ranked Dan Vallimont, 3-2. Vallimont took the first lead on a first-period takedown, but Zeerip scored a pair of escapes and rode out the entirety of the second period to earn 1:49 in riding-time advantage, which proved the difference at match's end.
Fifth-year senior Steve Luke (Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS), the nation's top-ranked 174-pounder, went out a winner in his final match at Cliff Keen Arena with a 6-4 decision against 16th-ranked Quentin Wright. The Wolverine captain finished on a high crotch and a single leg in the first period and, despite giving up just his second takedown in the third, held on to improve to 22-0 on the season.
Junior/sophomore Anthony Biondo (Clinton Twp., Mich./ChippewaValley HS), ranked 13th nationally, rolled past Jack Decker in the 184-pound contest, using a reversal and two third-period takedowns to win 7-1. After a scoreless first period, Biondo caught Decker off guard early in the second with an immediate switch for a reversal and rode out the period to build sizable time advantage. The Wolverine converted on a high crotch early in the final period and, after cutting Decker loose, scored out of a late scramble to cap the win.
Fifth-year senior Tyrel Todd (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) spent little time on the mat in his final Cliff Keen Arena appearance, pinning the Nittany Lions' J.R. Brown just 1:38 into the 197-pound bout. Todd, ranked sixth nationally, struck quickly on a single-leg, lifting it high and dumping Brown to the mat to gain the advantage. The Wolverine captain went to work on top after a restart, using his signature near wrist-head scoop combination to earn his third consecutive first-period fall. Todd, who extended his win streak to 10 matches with the win, also pinned Brown in their meeting at the National Duals. Todd leads the Wolverine team with eight pins on the season.
Junior/sophomore heavyweight Eddie Phillips (Woodland, Mich./Lakewood HS) cruised to a 7-0 decision against Cameron Wade behind takedowns in the first and third frames and a second-period reversal. The Wolverine wrestler controlled the bout from beginning to end, scoring out of a flurry late in the opening period before adding a last-second takedown in the third off an errant PSU half shot.
Even in defeat, the Wolverines looked strong at 149 and 125 pounds. In the former match, junior/sophomore Mark Beaudry (Pueblo, Colo./South HS) narrowed the gap against second-ranked Bubba Jenkins to just two points in the third period after the Nittany Lion wrestler was hit with his second stalling call but could not penetrate Jenkins' defense in the closing seconds and fell 5-3. Senior Michael Watts (Riverton, Utah/Riverton HS) overcame an early deficit against 13th-ranked Brad Pataky at 125, using a lateral drop to pick up four points late in the second. Watts led by two after a quick escape in the third, but the Nittany Lion wrestler hit a four-point cement mixer soon after to retake the lead and hold on for an 11-9 decision.
The Wolverines will close out the dual-meet portion of their 2008-09 slate next weekend with a pair of Big Ten road contests. U-M will travel to Champaign, Ill., to face Illinois on Friday evening (Feb. 20) before wrapping the regular season on Saturday (Feb. 21) against Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind. Both duals are scheduled for 7 p.m. starts.
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