Illinois Hands Michigan Grapplers First Big Ten Loss

Friday, January 28

Champaign, Ill.

7:00 PM CT

Michigan

Illinois

1/28/2000 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The eighth-ranked Michigan wrestling team suffered its first Big Ten Conference loss of the season, falling 26-9 to No. 6 Illinois on the road Friday night (Jan. 28).

The Wolverines jumped out to an early lead after 12th-ranked Andy Hrovat (Gates Mills, Ohio/St. Edwards HS) earned a 7-5 upset win over Illinois' No. 4-ranked Nate Patrick at 184. The victory pushed Hrovat's unbeaten streak in dual meets to 11 consecutive wins. Michigan increased its lead to 6-0 when 19th-ranked 197-pounder Joe Degain (White Lake, Mich./Clarkston HS) scored a 2-1 double-overtime victory over eighth-ranked Pat Quirk.

Illinois responded with three straight wins, beginning with John Lockhart's 4-2 decision over No. 11 Matt Brink (Muskegon, Mich./Fruitport HS) at heavyweight. The Wolverines pulled to within three points when eighth-ranked Damion Logan (Garfield, N.J./St. Joseph Regional HS) defeated seventh-ranked Carl Perry 5-4 at 141.

Holding a 12-9 lead, the Illini went on to win the four remaining matches to round out the scoring. The Wolverines received a strong performance at 174 from Charles Martelli (Naperville, Ill./North HS), who took Illinois' Ben King into overtime before falling 3-1 in the final contest.

The Wolverines will travel to Fort Wayne, Ind., to face the 23rd-ranked Purdue Boilermakers on Sunday, Jan. 30, at 1 p.m. at Carroll High School.

Illinois 26, Michigan 9

184 -- #9 Andy Hrovat (U-M) dec. #4 Nate Patrick, 7-5	(UM, 3-0)
197 --#19 Joe DeGain (U-M) dec. Pat Quirk, 2-1 2OT	(UM, 6-0)
Hwt -- #4 John Lockhart (UI) dec. #15 Matt Brink, 4-2	(UM, 6-3)
125 -- #12 Ryan Escobar (UI) pinned A.J. Grant, 2:15	(UI, 9-6)
133 -- Dave Stoltz (UI) dec. Matt Michalski, 9-3	(UI, 12-6)
141 -- #8 Damion Logan (UM) dec. #7 Carl Perry	(UI, 12-9)
149 -- #2 Adam Tirapelle (UI) dec. Mike Kulczycki, 8-3	(UI 15-9)
157 -- #11 Griff Powell (UI), major dec. Tony Holifield, 11-3	(UI 19-9)
165 -- #18 Bill Zemen (UI) major dec. Mark Churella, 20-7	(UI, 23-9)
174 -- Ben King (UI) dec. Charles Martelli, 3-1 OT	(UI, 26-9)