Michigan
Penn State
Wolverines Drop Dual Match at No. 11 Penn State
2/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Feb. 7, 2010
Site: State College, Pa. (Rec Hall)
Scores: #11 Penn State 29, Michigan 10
Records: U-M (4-12, 0-5 Big Ten), Penn State (11-5-1, 3-2 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 12 -- at Indiana (Bloomington, Ind.), 7 p.m.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The University of Michigan wrestling team claimed three individual victories against No. 11-ranked Penn State, falling to the Nittany Lions, 29-10, on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 7) at Rec Hall. U-M earned wins from sophomore captain Zac Stevens (Monroe, Mich./Monroe HS), junior/sophomore Justin Zeerip (Fremont, Mich./Hesperia HS) and senior/junior captain Anthony Biondo (Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley HS) at 133, 174 and 197 pounds, respectively.
Stevens scored early and late to put the Wolverines on the board with a dramatic 13-9 win over Bryan Pearsall at 133 pounds. Stevens built up a significant advantage in the first period, converting on an early takedown before adding four back points but allowed Pearsall to creep back into the match as the PSU wrestler scored on a second-period takedown and a reversal and takedown in the third to pull within one. Stevens escaped late in the frame and converted on an immediate single leg off the restart to ice his second straight Big Ten win.
Zeerip secured his first win of the Big Ten dual season with a 7-2 decision over the Nittany Lions' Justin Ortega in the 174-pound bout. Zeerip claimed the only lead he needed with two first-period takedowns before adding a second-period escape and third-period penalty point when Ortega was hit with a second stalling call. The Wolverine wrestler accumulated 2:45 in riding-time advantage to earn an additional point at match's end.
At 197 pounds, Biondo earned a bonus point for his commanding 15-4 major decision over David Crowell. The Wolverine captain converted on six total takedowns -- three apiece in the first and third periods -- and added a second-period reversal to claim his fifth major decision of the season. After dropping his Big Ten dual debut against. Iowa, Biondo has won each of his last four matches.
Penn State claimed bonus points in four matches, including three of the opening four bouts, to maintain control through the dual meet. The Wolverines fared better after the intermission break with their pair of wins and two additional solid efforts against highly ranked opposition. Senior/junior Aaron Hynes (Mt. Morris, Mich./Flint Kearsley HS) and sophomore/freshman Hunter Collins (Gilroy, Calif./Gilroy HS) both rallied from early deficits but were not quite able to pull out comeback wins at 165 and 197 pounds, respectively.
After giving up a first-period takedown and second-period reversal, Hynes knotted the score at four apiece against seventh-ranked Dan Vallimont midway through the second frame. The Nittany Lion wrestler reversed the position to regain control, but Hynes' escape early in the third again evened the score. Vallimont took advantage of a scramble scenario midway through the frame to take the lead for good. Hynes escaped to pull within one point, but neither wrestler scored again and Vallimont held on for an 8-7 decision.
Eleventh-ranked David Erwin dominated the first half of the 184-pound match, striking on three first-period takedowns and another in the second to carry a seven-point lead against Collins midway through the bout. The Wolverine rookie controlled the latter half of the bout, however, reversing Erwin in the third before narrowing the gap with two third-period takedowns. Collins could not overcome the deficit as Erwin added a riding-time point to cap a 12-9 decision.
The Wolverines will wrap up their three-dual road swing next Friday (Feb. 12), heading to Bloomington, Ind., to square off against Indiana at 7 p.m. at University Gymnasium. U-M will close out the home portion of its schedule on Sunday (Feb. 14), facing Wisconsin at 2 p.m. at Cliff Keen Arena.
#11 Penn State 29, Michigan 10
Individual Rankings by InterMat
| Match | Score |
| 125 -- #13 Brad Pataky (PSU) major dec. Sean Boyle, 13-0 | PSU, 4-0 |
| 133 -- Zac Stevens (U-M) dec. Bryan Pearsall, 13-9 | PSU, 4-3 |
| 141 -- Adam Lynch (PSU) dec. Mark Weber, 9-5 | PSU, 7-3 |
| 149 -- #4 Frank Molinaro (PSU) major dec. Mark Boyer, 25-11 | PSU, 11-3 |
| 157 -- #7 Cyler Sanderson (PSU) pinned Dave Johnson, 2:46 | PSU, 17-3 |
| 165 -- #7 Dan Vallimont (PSU) dec. Aaron Hynes, 8-7 | PSU, 20-3 |
| 174 -- Justin Zeerip (U-M) dec. Justin Ortega, 7-2 | PSU, 20-6 |
| 184 -- #11 David Erwin (PSU) dec. Hunter Collins, 12-9 | PSU, 23-6 |
| 197 -- #9 Anthony Biondo (U-M) major dec. David Crowell, 15-4 | PSU, 23-10 |
| Hwt -- #11 Cameron Wade (PSU) pinned Ben Apland, 4:16 | PSU, 29-10 |
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
