U-M Comeback Bid Falls Short at No. 13 Central Michigan

Sunday, January 5

Mt. Pleasant, Mich.

2:00 PM

Michigan

Central Michigan

U-M Comeback Bid Falls Short at No. 13 Central Michigan

1/5/2003 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team fell short of a comeback against the 13th-ranked Central Michigan Chippewas, losing 19-13 Sunday afternoon (Jan. 5) in CMU's Rose Arena for its first loss of the 2002-03 season. The Chippewas jumped out to the early lead with victories the first four bouts of the dual meet, but Michigan rebounded by winning four consecutive bouts to tie the score with two matches remaining. Central Michigan collected wins in both bouts to take the team victory.

Grant stayed unbeaten in dual-meet action with his 7-2 win at 125 pounds.

Starting at 157 pounds, freshman Rob Sulaver (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn HS) fell to ninth-ranked David Bolyard 6-3 despite controlling the entire third period, while redshirt freshman Tommy Garza (Southgate, Mich./Anderson HS), making his varisty debut at 165 pounds, was overwhelmed by the balanced attack by the Chippewas' sixth-ranked Kevin Carr, who collected four takedowns and a near fall to win 13-4.

In the 174-pound bout, Central Michigan's Mitch Hancock earned a narrow 6-4 decision over redshirt freshman R.J. Boudro (Richmond, Mich./Armada HS). Down by just one point in the third period, Boudro mounted a late surge but was unable to score, and after earning an additional point for riding time, Hancock was the victor and the Chippewas extended their lead to 10 points.

At 184 pounds, redshirt freshman Willie Breyer (Oxford, Mich./Oxford HS) gained the initial lead against Alex Lammers with two first-period takedowns but was outwrestled in the final two frames, giving up two takedowns and a three-point near fall to Lammers, who went on to win 9-5.

Fifth-year senior captain Kyle Smith (Butte, Mont./Butte HS), ranked ninth, put the Wolverines on the board with a 13-4 major decision over Brett Faustman at 197 pounds. Smith dominated Faustman throughout the bout, scoring five takedowns and collecting two minutes of riding time advantage while only allowing Faustman four escapes.

Redshirt freshman Greg Wagner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Snider HS) continued Michigan's momentum with a 9-5 victory over Bill Stouffer in the heavyweight bout. After a scoreless first period, Wagner gained the first lead with a quick reversal in the second period, but he was matched only moments later by Stouffer's own reversal to keep the match tied heading into the final frame. With Stouffer starting the third period in the down position, Wagner allowed him the escape at the midway point and mounted an offensive attack, scoring a takedown, three-point near fall and reversal late in the period.

At 125 pounds, senior captain A.J. Grant (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS), ranked seventh, squared off against the Chippewas' Kyle Stoffer and earned a 7-2 win. With the bout scoreless heading into the second period, Grant gained the advantage with a quick escape and takedown. In the third frame, Grant collected another two takedowns while allowing Stoffer only two escapes to take the decision victory and add three points to Michigan's team score.

Senior/junior Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J./The Peddie School), ranked fifth, tied up the team score with a 10-7 victory over Jason Borrelli at 133 pounds. Falling behind early after giving up a quick takedown, Dowd rebounded to score his own first-period takedown and tie the bout score at three points apiece at the end of the first frame. Dowd dominated the remainder of the match, scoring three more takedowns while allowing Borrelli only three escapes.

At 141 pounds, Central Michigan regained the lead as fourth-ranked Jason Mester earned a shutout win over senior/junior Clark Forward (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold HS). In a bout that was scoreless through the first period and much of the second, Mester jumped to a sizable lead after scoring a takedown and two-point near fall in the final seconds of the second frame. Mester rode out Forward for the entirety of the third period to collect riding time advantage and earn the victory.

Eighth-ranked Ty Morgan capped the Chippewas' victory, earning a 14-10 decision over junior/sophomore Jeremiah Tobias (Manchester, Mich./Manchester HS) to close out the dual meet. Morgan jumped to a commanding lead in the bout, scoring three takedowns in the first period and adding a takedown and three-point near fall in second, but Tobias controlled the third period as he attempted to earn the fall while Morgan was called for stalling three times.

The Wolverines will have a week off before they return to the mat for the annual Cliff Keen National Dual Team Championships on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 18-19, at St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

#13 Central Michigan 19, #7 Michigan 13
(Individual rankings from Intermat)

157 -- #9 David Bolyard (CMU) dec. Rob Sulaver, 6-3	CMU, 3-0
165 -- #5 Kevin Carr (CMU) major dec. Tommy Garza, 13-4	CMU, 7-0
174 -- Mitch Hancock (CMU) dec. R.J. Boudro, 6-4	CMU, 10-0
184 -- Alex Lammer (CMU) dec. Willie Breyer, 9-4	CMU, 13-0
197 -- #9 Kyle Smith (U-M) major dec. Brett Faustman, 13-4	CMU, 13-4
Hwt -- #15 Greg Wagner (U-M) dec. Bill Stouffer, 9-5	CMU, 13-7
125 -- #7 A.J. Grant (U-M) dec. Kyle Stoffer, 7-2	CMU, 13-10
133 -- #5 Foley Dowd (U-M) dec. Jason Borrelli, 10-7	Tie, 13-13
141 -- #4 Jason Mester (CMU) dec. Clark Forward, 6-0	CMU, 16-13
149 -- #8 Ty Morgan (CMU) dec. Jeremiah Tobias, 14-10	CMU, 19-13