Michigan
North Carolina
Bonus Points Factor into Season-Opening Loss to No. 17 North Carolina
11/8/2019 10:33:00 PM | Wrestling
» No. 19 Michigan split matches evenly but was doomed by bonus points in a 19-17 loss to No. 17 North Carolina in the dual-meet opener.
» Jack Medley earned two reversal and four back points to cruise to a 10-2 major decision against No. 19 Joey Melendez at 125 pounds.
» Jelani Embree (184 pounds), Jackson Striggow (197) and Mason Parris (Hwt) closed out the dual with three straight wins; Parris edged 20th-ranked Andrew Gunning, 4-0, to stay unbeaten on the season.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Score: #17 North Carolina 19, #19 Michigan 17
Records: U-M (0-1), UNC (1-0)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 17 -- at Black Knight Invitational (West Point, N.Y.), 10 a.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 19-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team split matches evenly, winning the final three bouts at the upperweights, but was doomed by bonus points in a 19-17 loss to No. 17 North Carolina in its dual-meet opener on Friday evening (Nov. 8) in front of 1,303 fans at Cliff Keen Arena.
Sophomore heavyweight Mason Parris, ranked fifth in the latest InterMat poll, needed a pin in the final match to complete the Wolverine comeback but settled for a controlling 4-0 decision against 20th-ranked Andrew Gunning in the only bout that featured two nationally-ranked wrestlers. Parris rode out the second period and, after escaping quickly in the third, iced the bout with a late takedown to improve to 6-0 on the season. He already owns three wins over ranked opponents this season.
Junior/sophomore Jelani Embree and fifth-year senior Jackson Striggow preceded Parris with decisive wins at 184 and 197 pounds, respectively, to get Michigan back on track late. Embree, ranked 17th nationally, used six takedowns -- three in the first period -- and rode for 4:13 to cruise to a 13-4 major decision over Chase Blair. Striggow scored a takedown in each frame and earned 1:04 in riding-time advantage to defeat Michigan native Brandon Whitman, 8-2.
The Wolverines also opened the dual on a high note, as junior/sophomore Jack Medley rolled to a 10-2 major decision against 19th-ranked Joey Melendez at 125 pounds. Medley accumulated 3:19 in riding time and earned all of his points on the mat, earning reversals in the first and third frames and added four back points off a bar tilt in the second.
After North Carolina pulled ahead with back-to-back wins, including a major decision at 133 pounds, sophomore/freshman Nick Freeman evened the team score with a 9-3 decision in his dual-meet debut at 149 pounds. Freeman broke the match open early with a counter takedown and four-point tilt before adding a second-period reversal and point for 3:39 riding time.
The Tar Heels pulled away with three straight wins at the middleweights, including a first-period fall after trailing at 174 pounds. Sophomore/freshman Will Lewan, ranked 10th nationally, dropped a 5-2 decision to AC Headlee, a two-time NCAA qualifier, at 157 pounds before the intermission break. Trailing by a point in the third, Lewan twice went upper-body and nearly had Headlee on the edge before giving up a late counter takedown on his second throw attempt in the final five seconds of the bout.
The Wolverines will send their starting contingent to the Black Knight Invitational next Sunday (Nov. 17) in West Point, New York. Hosted by Army, the tournament is slated for a 10 a.m. start at Christl Arena and will be streamed live on FloWrestling.com.
No. 17 North Carolina 19, No. 19 Michigan 17
Individual rankings by InterMat
125 -- Jack Medley (U-M) major dec. #19 Joey Melendez, 10-2 -- U-M, 4-0
133 -- Jaime Hernandez (UNC) major dec. Austin Assad, 20-7 -- Tied, 4-4
141 -- Zach Sherman (UNC) dec. Ben Freeman, 9-3 -- UNC, 7-4
149 -- Nick Freeman (U-M) dec. Gino Esposito, 9-3 -- Tied, 7-7
157 -- AC Headlee (UNC) dec. #10 Will Lewan, 5-2 -- UNC, 10-7
165 -- #16 Kennedy Monday (UNC) dec. Layne Van Anrooy, 10-3Â -- UNC, 13-7
174 -- Clay Lautt (UNC) pinned Reece Hughes, 2:19Â -- UNC, 19-7
184 -- #17 Jelani Embree (U-M) major dec. Chasen Blair, 13-4Â -- UNC, 19-11
197 -- Jackson Striggow (U-M) dec. Brandon Whitman, 8-2Â -- UNC, 19-14
Hwt -- #5 Mason Parris (U-M) dec. #20 Andrew Gunning, 4-0Â -- UNC, 19-17
Players Mentioned
