Michigan
NCAA Day 1
Kulczycki Leads U-M Quintet into NCAA Quarterfinals
3/21/2002 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
ALBANY, N.Y. -- With five individuals still alive in the championship bracket, the University of Michigan wrestling team finished Thursday's (March 21) first day of competition at the NCAA Championships in fourth place with 25.5 points. The Wolverines trail Oklahoma (37.5), Minnesota (35.5) and Iowa (31) after the first two sessions of the three-day event.
| | Kulczycki |
Three other Wolverines -- junior A.J. Grant (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS) at 125 pounds, sophomore Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J./The Peddie School) at 133 pounds, and senior Charles Martelli (Naperville, Ill./North HS) at 165 pounds -- won their opening matches before dropping into the consolation brackets following second-round losses. Senior heavyweight Matt Brink (Muskegon, Mich./Fruitport HS) suffered back-to-back losses and was eliminated.
In the first round of the 149-pound bracket, sixth seed Kulczycki dominated The Citadel's Wayne Watts, scoring 10 takedowns and adding a third-period reversal and two-point near fall to earn a 24-9 technical fall. Kulczycki dominated again in the second round against Oklahoma State's 11th-seeded Jerrod Sanders, scoring five takedowns and adding a three-point near fall late in the second period to earn the 18-4 major decision.
Making his NCAA Championships debut at 157 pounds, sixth seed Bertin jumped ahead early in his first-round bout against Pittsburgh's Zacariah Dill, scoring a takedown and three-point near fall within the first minute of first period. The Wolverine continued to dominate throughout the match and took the major decision 12-2. After gaining the initial lead with a first-period takedown in his second-round match against Rider's Derek Jenkins, Bertin was forced to battle from behind after Jenkins scored a two-point near fall early in the second period. With a reversal in the second period and two third-period takedowns, Bertin rallied to win 8-6 and advance to the quarterfinals.
After falling behind early in his first-round bout at 174 pounds, top-seeded Olson rebounded to dominate North Carolina's Mark Cantey in the first period before scoring a fall at the 2:59 mark of match. In his second-round bout against Air Forces' Terry Parham, Olson held a narrow one-point advantage after the first period, and his conditioning proved the deciding factor as the Wolverine scored four takedowns in the final period to earn an 18-10 major decision.
At 184 pounds, third seed Hrovat executed a balanced attack in his first-round bout against Drexel's Patt Miller to win 17-6. Hrovat scored three takedowns in the first period and two each in the second and third periods to earn the major decision. In the second round, Illinois' Jason Potter scored a takedown in the final second of the third period to send the bout into overtime with a 5-5 tie. After a scoreless extra period, Hrovat escaped from the down position in the tiebreaker to win the bout 6-5 and advance the quarterfinal round.
Seeded sixth at 197 pounds, Smith scored a takedown in each period in his first-round match against Rider's Greg Sawyer and held his opponent to only three escapes to earn the 8-3 decision in his first appearance at the NCAA Championships. In his second-round bout against Edinboro's 11th-seeded David Shunamon, Smith scored first with a takedown in the first period. Smith added another takedown in the second period and held Shunamon to only three escapes to win 5-3.
In his first-round match at 125 pounds, 10th-seeded Grant battled back from an early deficit against Duke's Tommy Hoang, dominating the second and third periods to earn a 9-4 decision. Squaring off against Iowa's seventh-seeded Luke Eustice in the second round, Grant held the edge heading into the final period, but Eustice was able to score a late takedown to send the match into overtime. In the extra period, Eustice scored another takedown to win the bout 8-6 and send Grant into the consolation bracket.
At 133 pounds, eighth seed Dowd fell behind early in his first-round match against North Carolina's Evan Sola but rebounded to tie the school at three after the first period. Dowd dominated in the second period and, starting in the top position, held Sola without an escape. Sola was twice called for stalling and Dowd added two third-period takedowns to claim the 11-5 decision victory. In the second round, Dowd was outwrestled in his bout against Iowa State's ninth-seeded Zach Roberson, who jumped ahead with two second-period takedowns and held on to win the match 8-3.
In his first-round match in the 165-pound bracket, Martelli battled back after an early deficit in his bout against Rider's Nick Harrington to win 9-5. Tied at the end of the first period, Martelli scored a reversal and takedown in the second period and added a takedown in the final 10 seconds of the bout and a point for riding-time advantage to earn the decision. In a second-round bout against Illinois' second-seeded Matt Lackey, Martelli scored first with a second-period escape, but the Illini's takedown in the second period and riding-time advantage proved the difference as Lackey won 4-1.
After falling behind early in his first-round heavyweight match against Brown's Bronson Lingamfelter, Brink could not rebound and lost 6-1 to head to the consolation bracket. Squaring off against West Virginia's Ryan Kehler in the consolations first round, Brink was again not able to rebound from an early deficit, losing the bout 5-3 and eliminating the fifth-year senior from the tournament.
The Wolverines will return to the mat tomorrow (Friday, March 22) for the third and fourth sessions of the NCAA Championships. Session III is slated to begin at 10 a.m. and will feature the quarterfinals and wrestleback second- and third-round bouts. Session IV will feature semifinals bouts as well as wrestleback fourth-round and quarterfinal matches and will start at 5:30 p.m.
Top 10 Teams (After Day 1)
1. Oklahoma 37.5 2. Minnesota 35.5 3. Iowa 31 4. MICHIGAN 25.5 5. Iowa State 25 6. Oklahoma State 22.5 7. Lehigh 19.5 8. Ohio State 19 9. Pennsylvania 17.5 10. Missouri 17 Northern Iowa 17
Michigan Results (Day 1)
Numbers listed are tournament seedings
#10 A.J. Grant (125)
First Round - dec. Tommy Hoang (Duke), 9-4
Second Round - dec. by #7 Luke Eustice (Iowa), 8-6 (OT)
Consolations - vs. Chris Rodrigues (North Carolina)
#8 Foley Dowd (133)
First Round - dec. Evan Sola (North Carolina), 11-5
Second Round - dec. by #9 Zach Roberson (Iowa State), 8-3
Consolations - vs. Cory Ace (Edinboro)
#6 Mike Kulczycki (149)
First Round - tech. fall Wayne Watts (The Citadel), 24-9
Second Round - major dec. #11 Jerrod Sanders (Oklahoma State), 18-4
Quarterfinals - vs. #3 Jamarr Billman (Lock Haven)
#6 Ryan Bertin (157)
First Round - major dec. Zachariah Doll (Pittsburgh), 12-2
Second Round - dec. #11 Derek Jenkins (Rider), 8-6
Quarterfinals - vs. #3 Luke Becker (Minnesota)
Charles Martelli (165)
First Round - dec. Nick Harrington (Rider), 9-5
Second Round - dec. by #2 Matt Lackey (Illinois), 4-1
Consolations - vs. Pat O'Donnell (Harvard)
#1 Otto Olson (174)
First Round - pinned Mark Cantey (North Carolina), 2:59
Second Round - major dec. Terry Parham (Air Force), 18-10
Quarterfinals - vs. #9 Ryan Lange (Purdue)
#3 Andy Hrovat (184)
First Round - major dec. Pat Miller (Drexel), 17-6
Second Round - dec. Jason Potter (Illinois), 6-5 TB
Quarterfinals - vs. #6 Josh Lambrecht (Oklahoma)
#6 Kyle Smith (197)
First Round - dec. Greg Sawyer (Rider), 8-3
Second Round - dec. #11 David Shunamon (Edinboro), 5-3
Quarterfinals - vs. #3 Owen Elzen (Minnesota)
Matt Brink (Hwt)
First Round - dec. by Bronson Lingamfelter (Brown), 6-1
Consolations - dec. by Ryan Kehler (West Virginia), 5-3
Eliminated with 0-2 record
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
