Feb. 11, 2005

The third-ranked University of Illinois wrestling team won their fourth conference dual of the season in a 26-6 victory over No. 14 Penn State. Illinois improves to 13-1-1 on the season and 4-0-1 in the Big Ten. The squad won eight of 10 matches over the Nittany Lions to improve to 8-2 in the series.

The match jumped to a 16-0 lead with five straight wins, beginning with a major decision by 12th-ranked Anton Dietzen (Sr., Elmhurst, Ill.) at 149 pounds. He scored five takedowns and got near fall points in the first period to rack up a 12-3 score over Jack Decker. Illinois' third-ranked Alex Tirapelle (Jr., Clovis, Calif.) held 18th-ranked Nate Galloway scoreless with a 5-0 decision to bring the team score to 7-0 after the 157 pound match. At 165 pounds, sophomore Donny Reynolds (Frankfort, Ill.) returned to the mat after two weeks out of competition with an injury. His first match back was a tight one as he got out to a 4-1 lead with a takedown, stalling and an escape, but one move gave up a takedown and back points to drop to 4-5 in the last minute of the third period to Jarrad Turner. He countered with an escape and held on to win 6-5 with 2:32 of riding time.

At 174, Pete Friedl (Jr., Orland Park, Ill.) nearly pulled off the major decision, but couldn't capitalize on the last takedown at the end of the match. He defeated James Yonushonis in a high scoring 14-7 decision. In what was considered the feature match of the night, Illinois No. 3 Brian Glynn (Sr., Orland Park, Ill.) took on fifth-ranked Eric Bradley. With each wrestler exchanging escape points, the match's outcome came down to Glynn's 1:31 of riding time for the 2-1 win. The Illini led 16-0.

The Illini dropped the next two matches, the only two of the dual, at 197 and heavyweight. Ninth-ranked Tyrone Byrd (Jr., Clinton, Ill.) held the 1-0 lead over 13th-ranked Phil Davis, but got reversed and put to his back to lose 6-1 at 197. In the heavyweight match, Mike Behnke (So., Villa Park, Ill.) gave up the takedown win one minute remaining to fall, 4-1, to Joel Edwards. With a 16-6 lead, the Illini didn't lose another match.

At 125 pounds, Kyle Ott (Jr., Huber Heights, Ohio) scored five takedowns and near fall points to get the major decision over NCAA qualifier Adam Smith, 16-4. The match took off with a big move in the second period that resulted in six points for Ott. He got a stalling point, then a takedown and near fall within a 10-second period. Mark Jayne (Sr., Elyria, Ohio), looking for the major, released 18th-ranked Heller with 1:04 left in the match, but gave up a takedown to win by a 11-7 decision.

Once again the most exciting match came at the finale of the dual as Cassio Pero (So., Chicago Heights, Ill.) got another upset at 141 pounds in front of the home crowd, this time over No. 12 DeWitt Driscoll. Each wrestler got an escape to send the match to overtime with a 1-1 score. After no scoring in the first OT, the match went to two 30-second periods. Pero escaped and then scored a quick takedown to give himself a 4-1 lead. Driscoll also got an escape in his half of the 30 seconds, but was unable to overcome the three-point deficit.

The Illini will return to action on Sunday as they host No. 19 Indiana at 1 p.m. at Huff Hall.

149: #12 Anton  Dietzen (ILL) Major dec. Jack Decker (PSU), 12-3 (4-0)
157: #3 Alex  Tirapelle (ILL) dec. #18 Nate Galloway (PSU), 5-0 (7-0)
165: #11 Donny  Reynolds (ILL) dec. Jarrad Turner (PSU), 6-5 (10-0)
174: #4 Pete  Friedl (ILL) dec. James Yonushonis (PSU), 14-7 (13-0)
184: #3 Brian  Glynn (ILL) dec. #5 Eric Bradley (PSU), 2-1 (16-0)
197: #13 Phil Davis (PSU) dec. #9 Tyrone  Byrd (ILL), 6-1 (16-3)
Hwt: Joel Edwards (PSU) dec. Mike  Behnke (ILL), 4-1 (16-6)
125: #2 Kyle  Ott (ILL) Major dec. Adam Smith (PSU), 16-4 (20-6)
133: #4 Mark  Jayne (ILL) dec. #18 Bryan Heller (PSU), 11-7 (23-6)
141: Cassio  Pero (ILL) dec. #12 DeWitt Driscoll (PSU), 4-2 OT2 (26-6)

149: #12 Anton  Dietzen (ILL) Major dec. Jack Decker (PSU), 12-3
1st Round:
2:27 Dietzen takedown (2-0)
2:21 Dietzen nearfall 2 (4-0)
2:10 Decker escape (4-1)
1:18 Dietzen takedown (6-1)
1:06 Decker escape (6-2)
0:33 Dietzen takedown (8-2)
2nd Round:
Dietzen chooses bottom
0:56 Dietzen stalling
3rd Round:
Decker chooses neutral
1:08 Dietzen takedown (10-2)
0:55 Decker escape (10-3)
0:18 Dietzen takedown (12-3)

157: #3 Alex  Tirapelle (ILL) dec. #18 Nate Galloway (PSU), 5-0
1st Round:
No scoring
2nd Round:
Tirapelle chooses bottom
1:54 Tirapelle escape (1-0)
0:54 Galloway stalling
3rd Round:
Galloway chooses neutral
1:26 Galloway Stalling (2-0)
1:11 Tirapelle takedown (4-0)
Tirapelle Riding time 1:02 (5-0)

165: #11 Donny  Reynolds (ILL) dec. Jarrad Turner (PSU), 6-5
1st Round:
2:12 Reynolds technical violation (0-1)
0:36 Reynolds takedown (2-1)
2nd Round:
Turner chooses bottom
1:26 Turner stalling
0:55 Turner stalling (3-1)
3rd Round:
Reynolds chooses bottom
1:59 Reynolds escape (4-1)
1:12 Turner takedown (4-3)
1:10 Turner nearfall (4-5)
1:07 Reynolds escape (5-5)
Reynolds Riding time 2:32 (6-5)

174: #4 Pete  Friedl (ILL) dec. James Yonushonis (PSU), 14-7
1st Round:
1:39 Friedl takedown (2-0)
1:29 Yonushonis escape (2-1)
2nd Round:
Yonushonis chooses bottom
1:54 Yonushonis escape (2-2)
1:25 Friedl takedown (4-2)
1:09 Yonushonis escape (4-3)
0:27 Friedl takedown (6-3)
0:03 Yonushonis escape (6-4)
3rd Round:
Friedl chooses bottom
1:45 Friedl escape (7-4)
1:28 Friedl takedown (9-4)
1:15 Yonushonis escape (9-5)
0:54 Friedl takedown (11-5)
0:42 Yonushonis escape (11-6)
0:26 Friedl escape (13-6)
0:23 Yonushonis escape (13-7)
Friedl riding time 1:07 (14-7)


184: #3 Brian  Glynn (ILL) dec. #5 Eric Bradley (PSU), 2-1
1st Round:
No scoring
2nd Round:
1:53 Glynn escape (1-0)
3rd Round:
Bradley chooses bottom
1:06 Glynn stalling
0:21 Bradley escape (1-1)
Glynn riding time 1:31 (2-1)

197: #13 Phil Davis (PSU) dec. #9 Tyrone  Byrd (ILL), 6-1
1st Round:
No scoring
2nd Round:
Bryd chooses bottom
0:56 Bryd escape (1-0)
0:36 Bryd stalling
3rd Round:
Edwards chooses bottom
1:14 Davis reversal (1-2)
0:01 Davis nearfall (1-5)
Davis riding time 1:34 (1-6)

Hwt: Joel Edwards (PSU) dec. Mike  Behnke (ILL), 4-1
1st Round:
no scoring
2nd Round:
Edwards chooses bottom
1:45 Edwards escape (0-1)
3rd Round:
Behnke chooses bottom
1:14 Behnke escape (1-1)
0:55 Edwards takedown (1-3)
Edwards riding time 1:25 (1-4)


125: #2 Kyle  Ott (ILL) Major dec. Adam Smith (PSU), 16-4
1st Round:
2:33 Ott takedown (2-0)
2:13 Smith escape (2-1)
0:50 Ott takedown (4-1)
0:37 Smith escape (4-2)
2nd Round:
Smith chooses bottom
1:52 Smith escape (4-3)
1:20 Smith stalling
0:10 Smith stalling (5-3)
0:06 Ott takedown (7-3)
0:01 Ott nearfall 3 (10-3)
3rd Round:
Ott chooses bottom
1:45 Ott escape (11-3)
0:35 Ott takedown (13-3)
0:10 Smith escape (13-4)
0:04 Ott takedown (15-4)
Ott riding time 1:00 (16-4)

133: #4 Mark  Jayne (ILL) dec. #18 Bryan Heller (PSU), 11-7
1st Round:
1:59 Jayne takedown (2-0)
1:27 Heller escape (2-1)
0:01 Jayne takedown (4-1)
2nd Round:
Heller chooses bottom
1:48 Heller escape (4-2)
1:19 Heller takedown (4-4)
0:36 Jayne escape (5-4)
0:22 Jayne takedown (7-4)
3rd Round:
Jayne chooses bottom
1:45 Jayne escape (8-4)
1:10 Jayne takedown (10-4)
1:04 Heller escape (10-5)
0:16 Heller takedown (10-7)
0:06 Jayne escape (11-7)

141: Cassio  Pero (ILL) dec. #12 DeWitt Driscoll (PSU), 4-2 OT2
1st Round:
no scoring
2nd Round:
Pero chooses bottom
0:29 Pero escape (1-0)
3rd Round:
Driscoll chooses bottom
0:39 Driscoll escape (1-1)
Overtime:
no scoring
Overtime 2:
Pero chooses bottom
0:25 Pero escape (2-1)
0:01 Pero takedown (4-1)
Driscoll chooses bottom
0:05 Driscoll escape  (4-2)