Michigan
Big Ten Session II
Bertin, Hrovat and Olson Advance to Big Ten Finals
3/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- With three wrestlers advancing to the final round, the University of Michigan wrestling team holds the fourth spot (91.5 points) after Saturday's (March 9) first-day action at the Big Ten Conference Championships. Leading the way is the University of Minnesota (144), followed by Iowa (107) and Ohio State (105.5).
| | Hrovat |
Half of U-M's six semifinalists won their matches, starting at 157 pounds, where second seed Bertin squared off against Michigan State's sixth-seeded Gray Maynard. Battling back from an early deficit, Bertin collected a riding-time advantage during the third period, which proved to be the deciding factor as the redshirt freshman earned the 5-4 decision to advantage to the final match against top seed Luke Becker of Minnesota.
At 174 pounds, top seed Olson narrowly squeezed past Purdue's fourth-seeded Ryan Lange 2-1 in his semifinal match to earn a chance at his second straight Big Ten title. With both wrestlers earning an escape in the match, the deciding factor proved to be a locked-hands penalty called on Lange early in the third period, which gave Olson an additional point and the victory. Olson will face No. 2 seed Tyler Nixt of Iowa in the final.
Also advancing to a championship bout was top-seeded 184-pounder Hrovat, who executed a balanced attack against fourth seed Jessman Smith of Iowa, outwrestling the Hawkeye to earn the 10-4 decision in the semifinal round. Hrovat will meet third seed Damion Hahn of Minnesota in the final.
In the other semifinals, third seed A.J. Grant (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS) was upset by Iowa's Luke Eustice, seeded seventh, by a 6-3 margin to send Grant into the 125-pound consolation bracket. Third seed Mike Kulczcycki (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edward HS) battled Minnesota's second seed Jared Lawrence in the 149-pound semifinal round but lost a 8-3 decision, while third seed Kyle Smith (Butte, Mont./Butte HS) squared off against Minnesota's Owen Elzen, seeded second, in the 197-pound semifinals and lost 6-1.
Two other Wolverines battled back from quarterfinal losses to reach the consolation semifinals. At 165 pounds, seventh seed Charles Martelli (Naperville, Ill./North HS) earned an 8-2 decision over Iowa's Ben Shirk, then scored a takedown in the first overtime to earn a 5-3 upset decision over Michigan State's Anton Hall, seeded sixth, avenging his two earlier losses to the Spartan during the dual meet season.
Squaring off against Indiana's Ty Matthews in the first round of the heavyweight consolation bracket, sixth seed Matt Brink (Muskegon, Mich./Fruitport HS) allowed only a riding-time advantage as he earned the 5-1 decision to advance. In his next consolation bout, Brink outwrestled Penn State's seventh-seeded Pat Cummins and won 5-2 to gain a spot in the consolation semis.
Third seed Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J./The Peddie School) rebounded from a quarterfinal loss by earning a 15-7 major decision over Purdue's Rene Hernandez in the first round of the 133-pound consolation bracket. In his second-round match, Dowd lost a 10-5 decision to second seed Kevin Black of Wisconsin to send the Wolverine into tomorrow's seventh-place match.
At 141 pounds, Nick Velissaris (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North HS) was eliminated from Big Ten competition after Indiana's Coyte Cooper, seeded fifth, earned a 26-10 technical fall in the first round of the consolation bracket, ending the match at the 6:00 mark.
The Wolverines will wrap up Big Ten Championships action tomorrow starting at 11 a.m. CST with the third session, featuring the seventh-, fifth-, third- and first-place matches for each weight class. The championship bouts for individual weights are slated to begin at 3 p.m. CST at Assembly Hall on the University of Illinois campus.
Team Standings (After Session II)
1. Minnesota 144 2. Iowa 107 3. Ohio State 105.5 4. MICHIGAN 91.5 5. Illinois 77 6. Penn State 55.5 7. Michigan State 46.5 8. Wisconsin 43.5 9. Purdue 39.5 10. Indiana 33.5 11. Northwestern 12
Michigan Results (Session II)
Numbers listed are tournament seedings
#3 A.J. Grant (125)
Semifinals - dec. by #7 Luke Eustice (Iowa), 6-3
Consolation Semifinals - vs. #8 Jesse Leng (Ohio State)
#3 Foley Dowd (133)
Consolations - major dec. Rene Hernandez (Purdue), 15-7
Consolations - dec. by #2 Kevin Black (Wisconsin), 10-5
Seventh place - vs. Brian Smiley (Indiana)
Nick Velissaris (141)
Consolation - tech. fall by #5 Coyte Cooper (Indiana), 26-10 (6:00)
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
#3 Mike Kulczycki (149)
Semifinals - dec. by #2 Jared Lawrence (Minnesota), 8-3
Consolation Semifinals - vs. #5 Ryan Berger (Illinois)
#2 Ryan Bertin (157)
Semifinals - dec. #6 Gray Maynard (Michigan State), 5-4
Championship - vs. #1 Luke Becker (Minnesota)
#7 Charles Martelli (165)
Consolations - dec. Ben Shirk (Iowa), 8-2
Consolations - dec. #6 Anton Hall (Michigan State), 5-3 (OT)
Consolation Semifinals - vs. #5 Oscar Santiago (Purdue)
#1 Otto Olson (174)
Semifinals - dec. #4 Ryan Lange (Purdue), 2-1
Championship - vs. #2 Tyler Nixt (Iowa)
#1 Andy Hrovat (184)
Semifinals - dec. #4 Jessman Smith (Iowa), 10-4
Championship - vs. #3 Damion Hahn (Minnesota)
#3 Kyle Smith (197)
Semifinals - dec. by #2 Owen Elzen (Minnesota), 6-1
Consolation Semifinals - vs. John Wechter (Michigan State)
#6 Matt Brink (Hwt)
Consolations - dec. Ty Matthews (Indiana), 5-1
Consolations - dec. #7 Pat Cummins (Penn State), 5-2
Consolation Semifinals - vs. #5 John Lockhart (Illinois)
Session I Results
N O T E S
Michigan has three finalists for the first time since 1998, when Joe Warren (126 pounds), Bill Lacure (150) and Airron Richardson (heavyweight) reached championship matches. Lacure and Richardson both won Big Ten titles.
The Wolverines have a shot at winning multiple Big Ten individual titles for the first time since 1998, when 150-pounder Bill Lacure and heavyweight Airron Richardson were crowned champions. U-M has not had three or more winners in one season since 1974, when Bill Davis (134), Jarrett Hubbard (150), Dave Curby (190) and Gary Ernst (heavyweight) won titles.
Otto Olson, the defending champion at 174 pounds, is seeking to become the first Wolverine to win back-to-back Big Ten titles since 158-pounder Sean Bormet prevailed in 1993 and 1994.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
