"It was a heck of a dual," head coach Tom Minkel said. "It was a real team effort and a good way to start off the second half of our schedule, especially after the long layoff we have had."
The dual got started at 197 pounds where senior Jeff Clemens gave the Spartans an early lead, defeating Mike Heist, 5-1. Clemens notched two takedowns: one on a counter as time expired in the second period, and another in the closing seconds of the third. The Bellbrook, Ohio native improves to 13-8 on the season and picks up his second straight dual-meet victory.
Max Lossen took the second match of the night, 5-2, in a hard-fought battle with Lou Thomas at 285 pounds. With the score tied midway through third, Lossen looked to be in trouble, but came away on top in a scramble to take a two-point lead and cruise to victory. Lossen now has a record of 10-9 on the year, and like Clemens, claimed his second consecutive dual-meet win against the Panthers.
Fourth-ranked Nick Simmons extended his streak of not giving up a point to seven matches as he pinned Brad Gentzle at the 3:22 mark of their 125-pound bout. Simmons notched his team-leading ninth fall of the year by rolling Gentzle up in a cradle early in the second period. Simmons is now 19-0 on the season with four dual-meet victories.
Despite taking an early 5-0 lead, Jeff Wimberley could not hold on against Pitt's Mike Ciotti, and dropped the 133-pound match, 12-5.
In the most anticipated match of the night, No. 4 Andy Simmons edged No. 8 Ron Tarquinio in thrilling fashion, 2-0. Both wrestlers had their opportunities in scrambles near the edge of the mat, but neither scored a takedown, and Simmons won on an escape and a riding-time point. The victory is Simmons' 21st of the season and he is now a perfect 4-0 in dual meets. Andy Simmons is now only second to his brother Nick in team shutouts with six.
Darren McKnight dropped a controversial decision by fall to the Panther's Joey Ecklof at 149 pounds. The score was tied late in the third period when Ecklof countered a McKnight takedown and took the Spartan captain to his back. Time expired and the official called a fall simultaneously, and Pittsburgh narrowed the MSU lead to 15-9.
"I really feel bad for Darren," Minkel said. "He wrestled his heart out and was in control of the match the entire time. He just got a bad break."
Tony Greathouse put momentum back on Michigan State's side with his first dual-meet victory since Thanksgiving weekend. Greathouse shutout Sean Richmond, 4-0, tallying an escape and a takedown in the third period. Greathouse is now 2-2 in dual meets and 11-7 overall.
The upset of the night came at the hands of Goidosik in the 165-pound bout. Making his 2005-06 dual-meet debut for State, Goidosik knocked off No. 14 Justin Nestor, 7-5, notching two early takedowns and using the clock to his advantage throughout the match.
"That was the best first period I have ever seen Goidosik wrestle in his three years here," Minkel said.
No. 7 R.J. Boudro put on a takedown clinic early in his match with Nick Padezan, and rolled to a major-decision victory, 13-3, at 174 pounds. Boudro notched five takedowns in the first two periods to improve his record to 16-3 overall and 3-1 in dual meets. The major decision is Boudro's sixth of 2005-06.
Murphy capped off the night in winning fashion for the Green and White, topping Kyle Deliere in his first-career dual meet, 5-3. Murphy took Deliere down early in the first period and notched a reversal in the third to improve to 14-8 on the season.
The Spartans now head home, where they will square off with No. 17 Edinboro at Jenison Field House on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 1 p.m.
197- Jeff Clemens dec. Mike Heist 5-1 MSU, 3-0
285- Max Lossen dec. Lou Thomas 5-2 MSU, 6-0
125- Nick Simmons fall Brad Gentzle Fall, 3:22 MSU, 12-0
133- Mike Ciotti dec. Jeff Wimberley 12-5 MSU, 12-3
141- Andy Simmons dec. Ron Tarquinio 2-0 MSU, 15-3
149- Joey Ecklof fall Darren McKnight Fall, 5:59 MSU, 15-9
157- Tony Greathouse dec. Sean Richmond 4-0 MSU, 18-9
165- Greg Goidosik dec. Justin Nestor 7-5 MSU, 21-9
174- R.J. Boudro maj. dec. Nick Padezan MD, 13-3 MSU, 25-9
184- John Murphy dec. Kyle Deliere 5-3 MSU, 28-9
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