Dec. 6, 2003

For the second time in his career, Illinois 157-pounder Alex Tirapelle has upset a defending national champion. This time he avenged his NCAA Finals loss to Michigan's Ryan Bertin, winning 4-2 to take the Las Vegas Invitational title. For the tournament, Tirapelle beat back-to-back No. 1-ranked wrestlers earning him the prestigious Outstanding Wrestler Award. Junior Mark Jayne was the winner of a shootout hanging in to win the championship at 133 pounds with an 8-6 decision over 11th-seeded Darrell Vasquez of Cal Poly. With two tournament wins, the team improved to fourth, scoring a total of 110 points. Both wrestlers keep their undefeated seasons alive as Jayne improves to 10-0 and Tirapelle moves to 9-0. Nebraska took the team title, followed by Michigan and Missouri.

Jayne (Elyria, Ohio) got the matches' first takedown 1:30 in the first period, but Vasquez escaped nine seconds later for a 2-1 score. Jayne added an escape in the second for the only points of that period. Twenty seconds into the third, Jayne got Vasquez on his back for a five count to increase his lead to 6-1. Vasquez then made a run that scored two takedowns in 54 seconds, but Jayne held on for the 8-6 win.

At 157 pounds, Tirapelle (Clovis, Calif.) and Bertin wrestled in their fourth match of their careers. Each wrestler got in one shot, but neither could capitalize in the first period. Bertin chose bottom to start the second and Tirapelle rode out the entire period to accumulate two minutes of riding time. To begin the third, Tirapelle got on the board first with an escape at 1:55, but Bertin scored a takedown to go up 2-1. A locked hands call by Bertin tied the score at two apiece and Tirapelle escaped for a 3-2 lead. Riding time added gave Illinois the 4-2 win.

The Illini return to action on Saturday, Dec. 13 hosting UT-Chattanooga at Huff Hall beginning at 1 p.m.

TEAM STANDINGS (out of 43)
1. Nebraska - 157.50
2. Michigan - 135.50
3. Missouri - 118.00
4. Illinois - 110.00
5. Arizona State - 102.50
6. Ohio State - 86.00
7. Minnesota - 72.00
8. CS-Bakersfield - 63.50
8. Purdue - 63.50
10. Cal Poly - 63.00
11. Edinboro - 61.50

LAS VEGAS INVITATIONAL PLACEWINNERS
1st - Mark Jayne (133), Alex Tirapelle (157)
5th - Pete Friedl (174), Brian Glynn (184), Mike Behnke (Hwt)
7th - Jason Potter (197)

133: #4 Mark Jayne (No. 1-seed), Jr., Elyria, Ohio, 10-0
1st Round: Major dec. Pat Sharp (Northwest), 15-5
2nd Round: Major dec. Dan Pacitti (N.C. State), 13-3
Quarterfinals: Dec. No. 9-seed Shannon Slack (Fresno State), 6-5
Semifinals: Dec. No. 5-seed Dereck Moore (UC-Davis), 4-3
Finals: Dec. No. 11-seed Darrell Vasquez (Cal Poly), 8-6

157: #2 Alex Tirapelle (No. 2-seed), So., Clovis, Calif., 9-0
1st Round: Pinned Cleveland Berto (San Francisco), 6:44
2nd Round: Dec. Brian Cobb (CS-Bakersfield), 6-5
Quarterfinals: Major dec. #9 No. 7-seed Brian Stith (Arizona State), 10-2
Semifinals: Major dec. No. 3-seed Jesse Jantzen (Harvard), 13-4
Finals: Dec. #1 No. 1-seed Ryan Bertin (Michigan), 4-2