It was in the 133-pound bout the Scarlet and Gray received a crucial 4-2 overtime win from Buckeye T. J. Enright (Jr. Galloway, Ohio/Westland) to increase the OSU lead to 12-5 after five matches. Entering the match with an 8-4 record, Enright faced No.1 Nick Simmons, who owned a 27-0 mark. Both wrestlers were scoreless after the first period and it was not until 46 seconds remained on the clock in the second stanza Simmons was able to score an escape to take a 1-0 lead. However, 1:15 into the third, Enright recorded a takedown to go up 2-1. Fourteen seconds later, Simmons answered with an escape to tie the match at 2-all, forcing the bout into overtime. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Enright notched a takedown for the final tally.
At 165 pounds, No. 16 Chris Vondruska (Sr., Lakewood, Ohio/Hofstra), who was honored during the prematch senior night ceremony, secured Ohio State's win when he recorded a 2-0 decision against Rocky Cozart. The match came down to the final period when Vondruska tallied an escape and earned the riding time point for a 2-0 victory. The win served as Vondruska's ninth-consecutive.
Third-ranked Mike Pucillo (184/Fr., Cuyahoga, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) got the Buckeyes on the board first after recording a 2-1 decision over 10th-ranked Joe Williams and improved his perfect record to 16-0. It was a scoreless tie after the first period and it was at the 1:39 mark in the second period Pucillo scored an escape for the 1-0 lead. Williams countered with an escape of his own at 1:44 in the third period and the match entered overtime. The score remained tied after the one minute overtime session, but Pucillo scored an escape with 17 seconds left in the first 30 second period and held on for the win.
No. 7 J.D. Bergman (197/Jr., Oak Harbor, Ohio/Oak Harbor) garnered win No. 17, scoring a 5-2 victory against Nick Palmieri. Bergman took a 2-0 lead on a takedown in the first period and increased his lead to 3-0 in the second period when Palmieri was called for his second stall. After Bergman recorded an escape in the third period, Palmieri answered with a takedown in the final seconds of the match, but it was not enough, as Bergman held on for the victory.
Corey Morrison (So., Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights) gave the Buckeyes its third-consecutive win at 285 pounds, earning a 10-7 win vs. Alan O'Donnell. After O'Donnell scored an early takedown for the 2-0 lead, Morrison scored an escape and takedown within seconds of each other to go up 3-2. O'Donnell then tied the score with an escape, but Morrison answered with a takedown. O'Donnell ended the period with an escape, but Morrison held the 5-4 edge after the first period. Morrison was able to increase his lead to 8-5 in the second session after he scored an escape and takedown compared to O'Donnell's lone escape. Morrison then sealed the victory in the final period, tallying another takedown and limiting O'Donnell to two escapes.
At 149 pounds, No. 16 Lance Palmer (Fr., Lakewood, Ohio/St. Edward) recorded a 9-1 major decision over Tim Hammer. Up 2-0 after the first period, Palmer increased his lead to 6-0 after the second session. After Hammer scored an escape with 55 seconds left in the third, Palmer answered with a final takedown with a second left on the clock.
Ohio State is back in action at 2 p.m. Sunday when it hosts No. 10 Northwestern at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio.
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