Feb. 17, 2002
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The 13th-ranked University of Illinois wrestling team dropped a 27-6 decision to top-ranked and unbeaten Minnesota (18-0, 7-0) in front of a crowd of 2,372 at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Sunday afternoon. The Fighting Illini (11-3, 4-2) got wins from second-ranked Matt Lackey at 165 pounds and No. 15 Jason Potter at 184.
Minnesota got on the board first with Luke Becker's 6-2 win over Griff Powell at 157 pounds. Lackey improved to 28-1 on the season and won his 13th consecutive match in a 9-3 decision at 165 over Nate Baker in the second match of the afternoon to even the score at 3-3.
Following a loss by Brian Glynn at 174, Illinois' 184-pounder Potter pulled an upset of fourth-ranked Damion Hahn with a 12-8 win. Potter jumped to a 6-3 start before allowing Hahn to tie the score at eight points apiece with under a minute remaining in the third period. Potter then scored four points on a reversal and near fall with :15 left in the match.
The Golden Gophers took a 10-6 lead on third-ranked Owen Elzen's 11-0 major decision over Illinois' Tyrone Byrd at 197 pounds. Minnesota's fifth-ranked heavyweight Garrett Lowney won the coin flip in the second overtime and earned the escape point in only four seconds to record a 2-1 win over third-ranked John Lockhart to take a 13-6 lead.
Four quick points in the first period by Minnesota's Leroy Vega led to a 7-5 decision over Twan Pham at 125 pounds. Top-ranked Ryan Lewis of Minnesota scored 11 points in the first period en route to his 24th straight win in a 15-4 major decision over Chad Hay in the 133-pound match to bring the team score to 20-6.
Illinois' Eric Novak fell in a 7-5 decision to the Golden Gophers' Trent Hatlevig at 141, while Ryan Berger dropped a 14-5 major decision to No. 2 Jared Lawrence at 149 pounds.
The Illini return to action for the final two matches of the regular season to face 14th-ranked Purdue and second-ranked Iowa at Huff Hall. Illinois will host the Boilermakers on Friday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. and the Hawkeyes on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m.
157: #3 Luke Becker (Minn) dec. #18 Griff Powell (Ill), 6-2 0-3
165: #2 Matt Lackey (Ill) dec. Nate Baker (Minn), 9-3 3-3
174: #8 Jacob Volkmann (Minn) dec. Brian Glynn (Ill), 5-0 3-6
184: #15 Jason Potter (Ill) dec. #4 Damion Hahn (Minn), 12-8 6-6
197: #3 Owen Elzen (Minn) major dec. Tyrone Byrd (Ill), 11-0 6-10
Hwt: #5 Garrett Lowney (Minn) dec. #3 John Lockhart (Ill), 2-1 TB 6-13
125: #2 Leroy Vega (Minn) dec. #16 Twan Pham (Ill), 7-5 6-16
133: #1 Ryan Lewis (Minn) major dec. #15 Chad Hay (Ill), 15-4 6-20
141: Trent Hatlevig (Minn) dec. Eric Novak (Ill), 7-5 6-23
149: #3 Jared Lawrence (Minn) major dec. #18 Ryan Berger (Ill), 14-5 6-27
