After Rutgers surged to take a 16-10 lead in the dual on three straight wins at the middleweights, including back-to-back bonus points of its own at 165 and 174 pounds, the Wolverines' upperweight captains responded in a big way, earning 17 points in the final three bouts to close out the meet.
Junior Domenic Abounader, ranked fourth in the latest InterMat poll, kicked off the rally with a 16-0 technical fall against Anthony Pafumi at 184 pounds, scoring three takedowns and adding eight back points -- first off a second-period leg turk then on a third-period power half that ended the match at the 6:23 mark. Abounader improved to 13-0 in dual competition.
Graduate student Max Huntley, ranked sixth nationally, put the Wolverines back out front with a quick fall against Hayden Hrymack at the 2:09 mark in the 197-pound bout. Huntley converted on two takedowns in the first, dumping Hrymack to his butt on the latter and using a hand turk to quacking secure the fall -- his sixth of the season. Like Abounader, he improved to 13-0 in duals this season.
Junior heavyweight Adam Coon, ranked fourth nationally, earned his pin even quick, tossing 13th-ranked Billy Smith to stick the Scarlet Knight wrestler on the edge at 2:09. Coon had just missed on a couple throw opportunities earlier in the period before making it count. It was his fifth pin and second of the weekend. He is a perfect 14-0 this season.
The Wolverines needed extra time to open the dual with a pair of wins at the lowerweights. After just missing on several leg attacks during regulation, senior/junior Conor Youtsey edged 20th-ranked Sean McCabe, 3-1, on a single leg just seconds into the sudden-victory period at 124 pounds. Senior Rossi Bruno beat 17th-ranked Anthony Giraldo, 4-2, in the 133-pound tiebreaker, taking advantage the second stall warning and third caution called on Giraldo in quick succession in the tiebreaker. He added an escape and held on for the win.
After sophomore/freshman Zac Hall dropped a close 2-0 decision to eighth-ranked Anthony Ashnault at 141 pounds -- on a second-period rideout and third-period escape -- the Wolverines earned their first bonus win of the meet with sophomore Alec Pantaleo's 14-5 major decision against Tyson Dippery at 149 pounds. Pantaleo jumped out to a sizable lead with a double-leg takedown and four-point suck back in the first and, after giving up two near fall in the second, blew open the bout with three takedowns in the third. He rode out the match on the last one, accumulating 1:01 in riding-time advantage.
Rutgers claimed the next three bouts, including a 3-2 upset at 157 pounds, where 17th-ranked Richie Lewis used a late single leg to defeat ninth-ranked junior Brian Murphy. The Scarlet Knights earned a major decision and pin in the subsequent two matches, taking a 16-10 lead and setting up the Wolverines' big comeback at the upperweights.
The Wolverines will wrap the Big Ten dual season next Friday (Feb. 12), hosting Purdue at 7 p.m. at Cliff Keen Arena. Michigan will honor its senior class prior to the dual. Tickets are still available through the U-M Ticket Office.
Results:
125 -- Conor Youtsey (U-M) dec. #20 Sean McCabe, 3-1 SV 3 0
133 -- Rossi Bruno (U-M) dec. #17 Anthony Giraldo, 4-2 TB 6 0
141 -- #6 Anthony Ashnault (RU) dec. Zac Hall, 2-0 6 3
149 -- #7 Alec Pantaleo (U-M) major dec. Tyson Dippery, 14-5 10 3
157 -- #17 Richie Lewis (RU) dec. #9 Brian Murphy, 3-2 10 6
165 -- #8 Anthony Perrotti (RU) dec. Garrett Sutton, 13-1 10 10
174 -- Phil Bakackas (RU) pinned Aaron Calderon, 2:49 10 16
184 -- #4 Domenic Abounader (U-M) tech. fall Anthony Pafumi, 16-0 (6:23) 15 16
197 -- #6 Max Huntley (U-M) pinned Hayden Hyrmack, 2:09 21 16
Hwt -- #4 Adam Coon (U-M) pinned #13 Billy Smith, 2:25 27 16
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