March 16, 2006

Oklahoma City - The University of Illinois wrestling team won two of its second-round matches and advanced a pair to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City. Senior All-Americans Alex Tirapelle (157) and Pete Friedl (184) both won for the Illini. With the victory, Tirapelle moves ahead of his brother, Adam, as Illinois' all-time winningest wrestler with 128 victories. Five wrestlers - Gabe Flores (133), Mike Poeta (165), Donny Reynolds (174) and Tyrone Byrd (197) - are also still alive in the consolation bracket. After two sessions, Illinois drops to 19th place in the team race, scoring 14.0 points, and top-ranked Oklahoma State holds a commanding lead with 36.5 points.

The second round began with loss for the Illini at 133 pounds, as sophomore Gabe Flores (Madera, Calif.) fell to second-seeded Nathan Morgan (Oklahoma St.), 9-3. Third-seeded Alex Tirapelle (Clovis, Calif.) brought the Illini back with a decision against Mat Hill (Edinboro), 8-2, in their 157-pound match. After falling behind by a takedown in the first period, Tirapelle countered with an escape and a takedown to finish the period. Tirapelle added another takedown and a reversal en route to his record-breaking win.

"It's nice, but it's not the first thing on my mind right now," Tirapelle said about the milestone. "I'll be able to enjoy it once the tournament is over."

At 165, Mike Poeta (Highwood, Ill.) dropped a close match to No. 8 seed Travis Paulson (Iowa St.), 3-1. Pete Friedl (Orland Park, Ill.) posted a win for the Illini by outlasting No. 11 seed Alex Camargo (Kent St.), 3-1, in their 184-pound bout. With no scoring in the first period, Friedl scored an escape to start the second. Moments later, he added a takedown to seal the victory. Friedl's win sets up another dramatic rematch against Purdue's third-seeded Ben Wissel. The two are familiar with each other after wrestling three times this season. Wissel knocked Friedl out of the finals of the Las Vegas Invite. A month later, Friedl got his revenge in the Midlands Tournament finals. Wissel took the third meeting at their dual in January.

After suffering a surprising upset in the first round, 125-pound senior All-American Kyle Ott (Huber Heights, Ohio) recovered to win a 3-2 decision against William Simpson (Army). At 174, Donny Reynolds (Frankfort, Ill.) outlasted Brandon Sinnott (Central Michigan), 6-1. Cassio Pero (141), Troy Tirapelle (149), and Matt Weight (hwt) all dropped two matches today to eliminate themselves from competition.

"I'm disappointed with our performance today. We didn't wrestle well and it showed," head coach Mark Johnson said.

TELEVISION: ESPNU will air the quarterfinals live at 10 a.m. CST on Friday, March 17. Additionally, ESPNU will be producing and syndicating live coverage of the semifinals beginning at 6 p.m. CST on Friday, March 17. ESPN will air the championships live at 6:30 p.m. CST on Saturday, March 18.

Team Standings
1. Oklahoma State - 36.5
2. Oklahoma - 24.5
T3. Edinboro - 22.5
T3. Hofstra - 22.5
T5. Michigan - 22.0
T5. Minnesota - 22.0
T5. Nebraska - 22.0
T19. Cornell - 14.0
T19. ILLINOIS - 14.0

125: No. 4 seed #4 Kyle Ott (Sr., Huber Heights, Ohio) 12-5
1st Round: Lost by dec. to Michael Sees (Bloomsburg), 8-5
Consolation 1st Round: Won by dec. William Simpson (Army), 3-2
Consolation 2nd Round: No. 7 seed Jeremy Mendoza (Arizona St.)
133: #18 Gabe Flores (So., Madera, Calif.) 13-7
1st Round: Won by dec. Joseph Baker (Navy), 9-3
2nd Round: Lost by dec. No. 2 seed Nathan Morgan (Okla. St.), 2-0
Consolation 2nd Round: No. 12 seed Mark Moos (Michigan)
141: Cassio Pero (Jr., Chicago Heights, Ill.) 14-12
Pigtail: Lost by dec. to Cesar Grajales (Penn), 6-3
Consolation Pigtail: Won by dec. Michael Keefe (Tenn-Chatt.), 9-6
Consolation 1st Round: Med. for. to David Pinaar (Slippery Rock) -- Pero eliminated
149: No. 11 seed #18 Troy Tirapelle (R-Fr., Clovis, Calif.) 24-12
1st Round:  Lost by tech. fall to Tyler Sherfey (Boise St.), 19-4
Consolation 1st Round: Lost by maj. dec. to Patrick Simpson (Army), 13-4 - Tirapelle eliminated
157: No. 3 seed #3 Alex Tirapelle (Sr., Clovis, Calif.) 31-2
1st Round: Pinned Adam Glaser (Gardner-Webb), 2:01
2nd Round: Win by dec. Matt Hill, Edinboro, 8-2
Quarterfinals: No. 11 seed Derek Zinck (Lehigh)
165: No. 9 seed #9 Mike Poeta (R-Fr., Highwood, Ill.) 26-6
1st Round: Bye
2nd Round: Lost by dec. to No. 8 seed Travis Paulson (Iowa St.), 3-1
Consolaton 2nd Round: Tyler Tisdell (George Mason)
174: #14 Donny Reynolds (Jr., Frankfort, Ill.), 22-11
1st Round: Lost by dec. to Matthew Palmer  (Columbia), 4-1
Consolation 1st Round: Won by dec. Brandon Sinnot (C. Mich.), 6-1
Consolation 2nd Round: James Yonushonis (Penn St.)
184: No. 6 seed #7 Pete Friedl (Sr., Orland Park, Ill.) 29-4
1st Round: Won by maj. dec. Derrick Morgan (Lock Haven), 11-3
2nd Round: Won by dec. No. 11 seed Alex Camargo (Kent St.), 3-1
Quarterfinals: No. 3 seed Ben Wissel (Purdue)
197: No. 9 seed #8 Tyrone Byrd (Sr., Clinton, Ill.) 26-6
1st Round: Won by dec. Charles Marting (Army), 4-1
2nd Round: Lost by dec. to No. 8 seed Ryan Bader (Arizona St.), 6-2
Consolation 2nd Round: Matthew Monteiro (Cal Poly)
Hwt: Matt Weight (Jr., Batavia, Ill.) 18-17
1st Round: Lost by dec. to No. 6 seed Tanner Garrett (Navy), 6-3
Consolation 1st Round: Lost by dec. to Rashard Goff (Cleveland St), 4-2 - Weight eliminated