Notes & Quotes: #10 Michigan 22, #21 Pennsylvania 15
11/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
N O T E S
With the 22-15 road victory, the Wolverines improved to 5-0 in the all-time series against Pennsylvania, which dates back to the 1995-96 season. U-M has outscored the Quakers 120-63 over the stretch.
Fifth-year senior Tyrel Todd inched closer to the Wolverines' prestigious 100-Win Club, earning a pair of weekend victories to improve his career mark to 98-27. Todd will become the 30th wrestler in program history to reach the century milestone. Fifth-year senior Steve Luke is close behind, improving his career record to 84-22.
Three Wolverine wrestlers carry dual-meet win streaks that date back into last season -- fifth-year senior Steve Luke, who posted a perfect 8-0 Big Ten dual record in 2007-08, boasts a 10-match winning streak, while fifth-year senior Tyrel Todd has won five straight dual matches and senior Michael Watts has won three.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Joe McFarland
On setting the pace in today's matches... "I'm happy because we got back on track as far as how we need to compete when we step on the mat. The guys were aggressive, going out there and attacking. In a lot of matches, we were setting the pace. We didn't do a good job of that last night, and that's something we talked about today. We needed to come back and get riding time in our matches; we needed to really set the pace in these matches. We wrestled a lot better this afternoon than we did last night. I'm comfortable that we got back on track and that we're doing the things we need to do so that we can build off of this."
On Kellen Russell's match... "Kellen was wrestling really well up to that point. Those things just happen sometimes in wrestling. We teach our guys to drive through the body. He was driving hard through it, and, unfortunately, he got caught and got pinned. But I was happy with the way we battled back after that setback. We were wrestling hard, but, sometimes, when something like that happens, it can take the emotion and that momentum away. It did for a minute, but our guys battled back."
On Michigan's wins in the opening two weight classes... "Michael [Watts] is off to a great start. He wrestled seven minutes today. That's one of the things we're working on with him. When he wrestles seven minutes, he's going to have a lot more of these matches where he gets his hand raised. I think he's starting to believe that. I knew we needed to get started off right today, and he did a great job. I though Zac [Stevens] had a great outing. He out-toughed that kid, and that's one of the things we're most excited about with his wrestling. He's just a tough kid, and he wrestles hard. He's ready to wrestle seven hard minutes, and it was good to see him get his first dual win."
On facing back-to-back ranked teams to open the season... "We knew this would be a tough start for us, and we knew that coming into our first weekend of wrestling, we weren't entirely sure what we were going to get. These guys have been looking sharp wrestling in the practice room. I'm just excited that we got it back on track today because I was not a happy camper last night. We just didn't compete well last night. I think some of that was nerves and some of that was being down at weight for the first time in a competitive dual. But we'll rebound, and today was the start of that. I'm excited about getting this weekend behind us and finishing it on a high note."
U-M Fifth-year Senior Tyrel Todd
On his pin at 197 pounds... "After the first takedown, I could tell that he wasn't working up right away, and I could tell that this was a guy that I could get on his back and get a pin. I knew by wearing out that one side, it might take a couple times, but, eventually, I was going to get it to where I needed it to be. I didn't get it the first time -- it was close -- but it really made him tired. After that I kind of put his head down, so it worked the second time."
On his personal improvements from yesterday to today... "I was really frustrated with how I wrestled against Lehigh. I knew going into it, with it being our first dual and it being a really tough place to wrestle, that it was going to be a tough match. But I was really disappointed. I felt like that was a guy I could really distance myself from, but I just didn't put things together. I was a lot more relaxed coming into this match today. I tried to put less pressure on myself and just reminded myself that wrestling is supposed to be fun. In the past my mentality was to just beat up my opponent and brawl, but this year, at 197, I'm going to need to move and use my motion and quickness to get leg attacks. I was able to do that better in this match. Finishing off with a pin was a big confidence booster."
On the team's improvements from yesterday to today... "Yesterday, we came off flat. Even guys that went hard didn't use good technique, myself included. We were on our heels in a lot of cases. We sat on leads, and that gets the crowd into it. Today we brought it to our opponents -- not in every weight classes but in most. We took our offense to them; we were pushing them, and we were dictating the match. It made a tremendous difference. I think we're in a good position going into Vegas."
U-M Fifth-year Senior Steve Luke
On his win at 174 pounds... "I would have liked to get some back points, but I think the primary goal for him was to not get turned. That made it pretty difficult, so I just kept kicking him out and taking him down. I felt good on my feet. I felt in shape; I didn't get tired out there. So, I felt pretty good about that match."
On his preparation for the All-Star Classic... "This weekend was a good tune-up for my all-star match. When I annihilated [Mike] Kulczycki in the intrasquad that was a good tune-up too."
U-M Senior Michael Watts
On carrying more confidence this season... "I just kept my confidence up throughout the match. I know I'm in the best condition I've ever been in. I know I'm bigger and stronger than I've ever been; I worked on that a lot this summer. I'm not a small 125-pounder anymore. Yesterday, I think I had a bit of nerves wrestling in front of the big crowd for the first time this season, but I definitely held it together better today."
On gaining an early lead in his matches... "I concentrate on going out there and getting the early lead. I like to get a turn in the first period. It just dictates the match for me. I wrestle a lot better knowing that I'm wrestling ahead and he's wrestling from behind. It's a lot smarter that way."
