Jan. 24, 2003
The sixth-ranked University of Illinois wrestling team dropped a heart-breaking decision to No. 9 Michigan, 19-13, in the Big Ten opener at Huff Hall, Friday night. Michigan was able to take six of 10 matches from the Illini in close fashion to hand Illinois only its second dual loss of the season.
"There were a lot of good things to come out of this match like Alex (Tirapelle) defeating the No. 3 wrestler in the country," head coach Mark Johnson said. "But there are definitely some things we need to work on. I'm not sure if the young guys had the jitters, but we can learn from this match."
Starting at 133 pounds, Illinois (6-2) got into a hole early with three losses in the first three bouts. No. 13 Mark Jayne (So., Elyria, Ohio) scored first on seventh-ranked Foley Dowd, but fell behind in the second period and couldn't overcome a 10-4 decision. Michigan followed up with another decision at 141 pounds. Illinois' Cal Ferry (Fr., Machesney, Ill.) fell to Clark Forward, who he had beaten earlier in the season, 7-1, with his only point being an escape to begin the second period.
At 149 pound, Illinois' Tony Pedrosa (Fr., Oregon, Ill.) looked strong and the match was a roller coaster of takedowns and near falls until the third period when No. 17 Ryan Churella scored got points on four near falls for the 16-7 major decision. After that match, Michigan looked to be in control with a 10-0 lead.
Eighth-ranked Alex Tirapelle (Fr., Clovis, Calif.) got Illinois on the board with an upset win over third-ranked and All-American Ryan Bertin, 3-2, at 157 pounds. Tirapelle got a takedown at the 1:08 mark of the second period and added an escape point in the third to secure the decision and cut the Wolverine lead to 10-3.
Top-ranked Matt Lackey (Sr., Moline, Ill.) came out gunning at 165 pounds, scoring four takedowns in the first period alone. He gave up only one offensive score to No. 16 Mike Kulczycki in the third period, but made him pay with a takedown with 26 seconds remaining in the match adding back points to close out a 20-8 major decision.
The Illini tied up the dual at 10-10 with a 3-1 decision by No. 5 Brian Glynn (So., Orland Park, Ill.) over R.J. Boudro at 174. Glynn did all his scoring in the second period getting an escape and take down for a 3-0 lead. Illinois took its only lead of the night with a win at 184 pounds. Freshman Pete Friedl (Orland Park, Ill.), a natural 174 pounder wrestling for an injured Jason Potter, looked dominant in his 9-5 decision over Willie Breyer. He got two takedowns in each of the first two periods and held off a late third-period comeback to give Illinois a 13-10 advantage.
The 13-10 score was as close as the Illini would get to the Wolverines as Michigan swept the final three weight classes. At 197 pounds, No. 20 Tyrone Byrd (So., Clinton, Ill.) dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 16 Kyle Smith. The Illini fell to 16-13 with a 6-2 loss at heavyweight as Chris Little (Fr., Mahomet, Ill.) fell to No. 8 Greg Wagner.
Illinois had a chance to tie the match with a win at 125 pounds, but No. 5 A.J. Grant was too much for Illinois' 10th-ranked Kyle Ott (Fr., Huber Heights, Ohio). Ott did get the first score to close out the first period, but a Grant takedown at 1:15 mark of the third period was the deciding factor in the 3-2 loss.
The Illini don't have time to dwell on the loss to the Wolverines as they prepare to face No. 2 Iowa on Sunday in Iowa City. The match time is set for 2 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
#6 Illinois (6-2) vs. #9 Michigan (6-4)
133: #7 Foley Dowd (UM) dec. #13 Mark Jayne (ILL), 10-4 0-3
141: Clark Forward (UM) dec. Cal Ferry (ILL), 7-1 0-6
149: #17 Ryan Churella (UM) major dec. Tony Pedrosa (ILL), 16-7 0-10
157: #8 Alex Tirapelle (ILL) dec. #3 Ryan Bertin (UM), 3-2 3-10
165: #1 Matt Lackey (ILL) major dec. #16 Mike Kulczycki (UM), 20-8 7-10
174: #5 Brian Glynn (ILL) dec. R.J. Boudro (UM), 3-1 10-10
184: Pete Friedl (ILL) dec. Willie Breyer (UM), 9-5 13-10
197: #16 Kyle Smith (UM) dec. #20 Tyrone Byrd (ILL), 4-1 13-13
HWT: #8 Greg Wagner (UM) dec. Chris Little (ILL), 6-2 13-16
125: #5 A.J. Grant (UM) dec. #10 Kyle Ott (ILL), 3-2 13-19
133: #7 Foley Dowd (UM) dec. #13 Mark Jayne (ILL), 10-4
1st Period: 1:15 Jayne takedown (2-0); 1:02 Dowd escape (2-1); Illinois leads 2-1
2nd Period: Dowd chooses down position; 1:53 Dowd escape (2-2); 1:02 Dowd takedown (2-4); Michigan leads 4-2.
3rd Period: Jayne chooses down position; 1:37 Jayne escape (3-4); 1:13 Dowd takedown (3-6) 0:11 Dowd near fall3 (9-3); 0:08 Jayne escape (4-9); Dowd riding time; Michigan wins 10-4 decision.
141: Clark Forward (UM) dec. Cal Ferry (ILL), 7-1
1st Period: no scoring
2nd Period: Ferry chooses down position; 1:53 Ferry escape (1-0); 1:28 warning Illinois; 0:54 Forward takedown (1-2); Michigan leads 2-1.
3rd Period: Forward chooses down position; 1:58 Forward escape (1-3); 0:23 Forward takedown (1-5); 0:11 stalling point to Michigan (1-6); Forward riding time; Michigan wins (7-1).
149: #17 Ryan Churella (UM) major dec. Tony Pedrosa (ILL), 16-7
1st Period: 1:12 Pedrosa takedown (2-0); 0:47 Churella reversal (2-2); 0:00 Churella near fall3 (2-5). Michigan leads 5-2.
2nd Period: Churella starts neutral; 1:45 Pedrosa takedown (4-5); 1:03 Pedrosa near fall3 (7-5); Illinois leads 7-5.
3rd Period: Pedrosa chooses down position; 1:11 Churella near fall3 (7-8); 0:47 Churella near fall3 (7-11); 0:33 Churella near fall3; (7-14); 0:05 Churella near fall2 (7-16). Michigan wins 16-7 major decision.
157: #8 Alex Tirapelle (ILL) dec. #3 Ryan Bertin (UM), 3-2
1st Period: no scoring
2nd Period: Bertin chooses down position; 1:27 Bertin escape (0-1); 1:08 Tirapelle takedown (2-1); 0:54 Bertin escape (2-2); 0:23 warning Bertin; Match tied 2-2.
3rd Period: Tirapelle chooses down position; 1:53 Tirapelle escape (3-2); 1:18 warning Illinois; Tirapelle wins 3-2.
165: #1 Matt Lackey (ILL) major dec. #16 Mike Kulczycki (UM), 20-8
1st Period: 2:37 Lackey takedown (2-0); 2:31 Kulczycki escape (2-1); 1:35 Lackey takedown (4-1); 1:17 Kulczycki escape (4-2); 0:31 Lackey takedown (6-2); 0:25 Kulczycki escape (6-3); 0:03 Lackey takedown (8-3); Illinois leads 8-3.
2nd Period: Kulczycki chooses down position; 1:34 Kulczycki escape (8-4); 0:49 Lackey takedown (10-4); 0:21 Kulczycki escape (10-5); 0:17 Lackey takedown (12-5); 0:11 Kulczycki escape (12-6); Illinois leads 12-6.
3rd Period: Lackey chooses down position; 1:55 Lackey escape (13-6); 1:38 Kulczycki takedown (13-8); 1:26 Lackey escape (14-8); 0:26 Lackey takedown (16-8); 0:15 Lackey near fall3 (19-8); Lackey riding time; Illinois wins 20-8.
174: #5 Brian Glynn (ILL) dec. R.J. Boudro (UM), 3-1
1st Period: no scoring
2nd Period: Glynn chooses down position; 1:31 Glynn escape (1-0); 0:44 Glynn takedown (3-0); Illinois leads 3-0.
3rd Period: Warning Michigan; Boudro chooses down position; 1:44 Boudro escape (3-1); 0:10 stalling Glynn; Illinois wins 3-1 decision.
184: Pete Friedl (ILL) dec. Willie Breyer (UM), 9-5
1st Period: 1:59 Friedl takedown (2-0); 1:38 Breyer escape (2-1); 1:02 Friedl takedown (4-1); 0:39 Breyer escape (4-2); Friedl leads 4-2.
2nd Period: Boudro chooses down position; 1:49 Boudro escape (4-3); 1:30 Friedl takedown (6-3), Friedl near fall2 (8-3); Friedl leads 8-3.
3rd Period: Friedl chooses down; 1:33 caution Illinois; Boudro near fall2 (8-5); 0:07 Friedl escape (9-5); Friedl wins 9-5 decision.
197: #16 Kyle Smith (UM) dec. #20 Tyrone Byrd (ILL), 4-1
1st Period: no scoring
2nd Period: Smith chooses down position; 1:55 Smith escape (0-1); 0:45 Smith takedown (0-3); Michigan leads 3-0.
3rd Period: Byrd chooses down position; 1:12 Byrd escape (1-3); Smith riding time; Michigan wins 4-1 decision.
HWT: #8 Greg Wagner (UM) dec. Chris Little (ILL), 6-2
1st Period: no scoring
2nd Period: Little chooses down position; Wagner riding time 2:00.
3rd Period: Wagner chooses down position; 1:57 Wagner escape (0-1); 1:38 Wagner takedown (0-3); 1:35 Little escape (1-3); 0:39 Wagner takedown (1-5); 0:35 Little escape (2-5); Wagner riding time; Michigan wins 6-2 decision.
125: #5 A.J. Grant (UM) dec. #10 Kyle Ott (ILL), 3-2
1st Period: 0:13 Ott takedown (2-0); Illinois leads 2-0.
2nd Period: Grant chooses down position; 1:38 Grant escape (2-1); Illinois leads 2-1.
3rd Period: Ott chooses neutral; 1:15 Grant takedown (2-3); Michigan wins 3-2 decision.
