Michigan
Binghamton
Wolverines Beat Binghamton, Fall to Virginia Tech
1/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Score: #17 Michigan 39, Binghamton 6; Virginia Tech 22, #17 Michigan 15
Records: U-M (5-6), BU (9-10); VT (14-0)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 31 -- vs. Northwestern (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
Complete Results:Binghamton | Virginia Tech | Notes & Quotes
Photo Galleries:Binghamton | Virginia Tech
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 17-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team split a pair of non-conference slates, defeating Binghamton, 39-6, before falling to Virginia Tech, 22-15, on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 24) in front of 662 fans at Cliff Keen Arena. Bonus points set the tone in both contests as the Wolverines earned three pins, two technical falls and two major decisions en route to their lopsided win in the earlier contest and Virginia Tech used a pair of technical falls to highlight its effort in the latter.
Michigan kicked off the opening dual against Binghamton with back-to-back technical falls at 125 and 133 pounds as senior Michael Watts (Riverton, Utah/Riverton HS) and freshman Zac Stevens(Monroe, Mich./Monroe HS) each added five points to their team's score, giving U-M the only lead it needed in the dual. Watts, ranked 14th in the latest NWCA/InterMat poll, used a combination of guillotines, high-leg turks and cradles to turn the Hokies' Tyler Malmberg four times for 10 total points. His last turn -- off a cradle in the closing seconds of the third period -- provided the Wolverine senior the necessary edge to claim a 17-2 tech fall after riding time.
Stevens needed even less time to knock off Rob Slavin in the next bout, using a two-point near fall of his own to claim an 18-3 advantage and end the bout at the 4:51 mark. Stevens converted on six takedowns -- three apiece in the first and second periods -- and added another two-point turn in the closing seconds of the opening frame.
Sophomore Kellen Russell(High Bridge, N.J./Blair Academy), ranked fourth nationally, struck quickly against Anwar Goeres at 141 pounds, scoring on an immediate takedown before twice catching Goeres trying to roll to put him to his back for six points. With the eight-point cushion, Russell added three more single legs -- one in each period -- to cruise to a 16-4 major decision. The effort extended Russell's win streak to 10 straight matches.
After a Binghamton win at 149 pounds, junior/sophomore Aaron Hynes(Mt. Morris, Mich./Flint Kearsley HS) regained the Wolverines' momentum with a 5-2 decision over Nate Patterson at 157 pounds. Hynes took an early advantage off a front headlock in the opening seconds of the match and added another after an extended scramble on the mat in the third. The Wolverine was reversed in the waning moments of the match, but it did not make a difference as he added 1:21 in riding time to seal up the win.
Michigan claimed falls in three of its next four matches as sophomore/freshman Justin Zeerip(Fremont, Mich./Hesperia HS), fifth-year senior Cody Waters(Adrian, Mich./Adrian HS) and fifth-year senior captain Tyrel Todd(Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) all ended their matches in the opening period. Zeerip's pin came the quickest as the U-M rookie converted on a quick single leg before using an arm bar to stack up Ryan McGarity at the 1:19 mark of the 165-pound contest.
Waters, in his collegiate dual-meet debut, pancaked John Kaloust directly to his back midway through the first period of the subsequent match at 174 pounds, earning his first fall of the season at 1:44. Todd, ranked sixth nationally at 197 pounds, used a pair of single legs to build up an early lead against Corey Waite. The Wolverine captain added a three-point near fall when Waite threw himself to his back while trying to defend against the latter takedown, and, just seconds later, Todd turned Waite again, scooping the Bearcat wrestler's head with his knee and driving his near wrist over the back to end the bout at 2:23.
Junior/sophomore heavyweight Eddie Phillips(Woodland, Mich./Lakewood HS) capped the Wolverines' decisive victory with a 10-2 major decision over Carl Korpi in the final match. He secured four takedowns, including two in the opening period, and accumulated 3:33 in riding-time advantage to earn his first major decision of the season.
Michigan claimed four individual victories against Virginia Tech, including three in the final four contests, but, with a pair of regular starters out of the lineup, was unable to overcome the Hokies' sizable advantage.
Todd earned the Wolverines' biggest win with a third-period disqualification against D.J. Bruce at 197 pounds, upping his contribution to the Michigan team point total to 12 on the afternoon. The Wolverine captain picked up steam as the match wore on, converting on five total takedowns -- two each in the final two frames -- and drawing a series of Bruce stalling calls. The Hokie wrestler continued to wrestle on the edge of the mat and collected a fleeing penalty midway through the final period. The official incorrectly disqualified Bruce upon issuing a fourth stalling call at the match's 6:35 mark, but Virginia Tech did not protest the verdict until the completion of the heavyweight bout and, as a result, the DQ stood. The win improved Todd's record to 10-1 on the season.
Phillips closed out the dual in the subsequent bout with a 3-2 decision against Hokie heavyweight David Marone, using a scramble midway through the third period to convert on a takedown along the edge of the mat.
Stevens and fifth-year senior Steve Luke(Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS) added victories at 133 and 174 pounds, respectively. Stevens claimed a dramatic 7-6 decision over Will Livingston, twice rallying from one-point deficits to pick up his second win of the afternoon. After a quick third-period escape provided the Wolverine rookie a narrow one-point edge, the two wrestlers traded a variety of points through a wild series of flurries midway through the frame. Livingston drove through a single leg to reclaim the advantage, but Stevens stayed in motion to quickly pick up a reversal just seven seconds later. Livingston's escape knotted the score at five points apiece, but Stevens took the lead for good with an underhook-ankle pick combination before riding out the period.
Luke, the nation's top-ranked 174-pounder, used a pair of first-period single legs and nearly three minutes of riding-time advantage to knock off Anthony Trongone, 6-1, in the latter bout. Luke improved his record to 17-0 on the season.
The Wolverines will kick off the Big Ten Conference portion of their dual-meet schedule next weekend with home duals against Northwestern and Indiana. U-M will face the Wildcats at 7 p.m. on Saturday (Jan. 31) before wrapping the weekend against the Hoosiers at 2 p.m. on Sunday (Feb. 1). Both matches will be held at Cliff Keen Arena.
#17 Michigan 39, Binghamton 6
Individual rankings from NWCA/InterMat
| 125 -- #14 Michael Watts (U-M) tech. fall Tyler Malmberg, 17-2 (7:00) | U-M, 5-0 |
| 133 -- Zac Stevens (U-M) tech. fall Rob Slavin, 18-3 (4:51) | U-M, 10-0 |
| 141 -- #4 Kellen Russell (U-M) major dec. Anwar Goerers, 16-4 | U-M, 14-0 |
| 149 C Matt Kaylor (BU) dec. Mark Beaudry, 11-6 | U-M, 14-3 |
| 157 -- Aaron Hynes (U-M) dec. Nate Patterson, 5-2 | U-M, 17-3 |
| 165 -- Justin Zeerip (U-M) pinned Ryan McGarity, 1:19 | U-M, 23-3 |
| 174 -- Cody Waters (U-M) pinned John Kaloust, 1:44 | U-M, 29-3 |
| 184 -- #9 Nate Patterson (BU) dec. #12 Anthony Biondo, 3-0 | U-M, 29-6 |
| 197 -- #6 Tyrel Todd (U-M) pinned Corey Waite, 2:23 | U-M, 35-6 |
| Hwt -- Eddie Phillips (U-M) dec. Carl Korpi, 10-2 | U-M, 39-6 |
Virginia Tech 22, #17 Michigan 15
Individual rankings from NWCA/InterMat
| 125 -- #13 Jarrod Garnett (VT) dec. #14 Michael Watts, 8-3 | VT, 3-0 |
| 133 -- Zac Stevens (U-M) dec. Will Livingston, 7-6 | Tie, 3-3 |
| 141 -- Chris Diaz (VT) tech. fall Mike Sears, 15-0 (5:00) | VT, 8-3 |
| 149 -- Pete Yates (VT) tech. fall Mark Beaudry, 15-0 (5:00) | VT, 13-3 |
| 157 C Jesse Dong (VT) dec. Dave Johnson, 9-4 | VT, 16-3 |
| 165 -- Matt Epperly (VT) dec. Justin Zeerip, 4-1 | VT, 19-3 |
| 174 -- #1 Steve Luke (U-M) dec. Anthony Trongone, 6-1 | VT, 19-6 |
| 184 -- Tommy Spellman (VT) dec. #12 Anthony Biondo, 3-2 | VT, 22-6 |
| 197 -- #6 Tyrel Todd (U-M) win by disqualification over D.J. Bruce, 6:35 | VT, 22-12 |
| Hwt -- Eddie Phillips (U-M) dec. David Marone, 3-2 | VT, 22-15 |
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
