Wagner Upsets Top-Ranked Lion But Wolverines Fall

Sunday, February 8

State College, Pa.

1:00 PM

Michigan

Penn State

2/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- With each team earning five individual wins, bonus points proved to be the deciding factor as the No. 3-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team suffered its first conference loss of the season, falling 21-19 at No. 8 Penn State on Sunday (Feb. 8).

Sophomore heavyweight Greg Wagner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Snider HS) notched a big upset victory over top-ranked Pat Cummins in the final bout of the contest but was unable to give the Wolverines the points necessary to overcome the Nittany Lions' advantage. With the score knotted at one point apiece, Wagner countered a Cummins shot midway through the third period to score a single-leg takedown. After giving up a quick escape, the Wolverine held on for the remainder of the bout to collect a 3-2 decision and his first career victory over the Penn State heavyweight.

After Michigan gained the initial lead with a 12-5 decision by sophomore/freshman Mark Moos (Lorain, Ohio/St. Edward HS) at 125 pounds, Penn State won four straight matches, including a fall at 133 pounds and a technical fall at 149 pounds, where the Wolverines were without fifth-year senior captain Foley Dowd (Howell, N.J./The Peddie School) and junior/sophomore Ryan Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS), to build an 11-point advantage.

The Wolverines mounted a comeback at the middle weights and gained a narrow one-point lead with wins at 157, 165 and 174 pounds. Senior/junior Ryan Bertin (Broadview Heights, Ohio/St. Edward HS) scored three takedowns in his 9-8 victory over James Woodall at 157.

Fifth-year senior Pat Owen (Polson, Mont./Polson HS) earned his fourth first-period fall in the last five meets, pinning Jeremy Hart at the 2:22 mark of the 165-pound match. After scoring a quick takedown to gain control, Owen applied a power half and stepped over to put the Nittany Lion wrestler on his back. Sophomore/freshman Nick Roy (Wall, N.J./Wall HS) dominated throughout his 174-pound match against Rich Brooks, scoring 10 takedowns en route to a 22-9 major decision.

U-M (14-3, 4-1 Big Ten) continues its Big Ten dual schedule with meets against Indiana and Wisconsin next weekend. On Friday (Feb. 13), the Wolverines will be in Bloomington, Ind., to face the Hoosiers in a dual slated for 7 p.m. On Sunday (Feb. 15), Michigan will return to Ann Arbor for its final home dual of the season against the Badgers at 1 p.m.

#8 Penn State 21, #3 Michigan 19
(Individual rankings from Amateur Wrestling News)

125 -- #4 Mark Moos (U-M) dec. #14 Adam Smith, 12-5	U-M, 3-0
133 -- #6 Josh Moore (PSU) pinned Chase Metcalf, 2:01	PSU, 6-3
141 -- DeWitt Driscoll (PSU) dec. #18 Clark Forward, 10-5	PSU, 9-0
149 -- #9 Matt Storniolo (PSU) tech. fall Jeremiah Tobias, 15-0	PSU, 14-3
157 -- #2 Ryan Bertin (U-M) dec. #20 James Woodall, 9-8	PSU, 14-6
165 -- #4 Pat Owen (U-M) pinned Jeremy Hart, 2:22	PSU, 14-12
174 -- #19 Nick Roy (U-M) major dec. Rich Brooks, 22-9	U-M, 16-14
184 -- #6 Eric Bradley (PSU) dec. Joshua Weitzel, 7-3	PSU, 17-16
197 -- #18 Joel Edwards (PSU) major dec. Chase Verdoorn, 10-2	PSU, 21-16
Hwt -- #5 Greg Wagner (U-M) dec. #1 Pat Cummins, 3-2	PSU, 21-15