Michigan
Rutgers
Parris Pins to Slam Door on No. 23 Rutgers at MSG Super Saturday
2/1/2020 5:29:00 PM | Wrestling
» No. 25 Michigan started with wins in four of the opening five matches and finished with a first-period pin from Mason Parris to beat No. 23 Rutgers, 21-16, on Super Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
» Parris pinned Alex Esposito in 1:17 to seal the Wolverine dual win in the final bout; he improved to 22-0 on the season with 14 bonus wins and eight pins.
» Jack Medley earned a 2-1 win over No. 16 Nicolas Aguilar at 125 pounds; it was his fourth win over a ranked opponent this season.
Site: New York, N.Y. (Madison Square Garden)
Score: #25 Michigan 21, #23 Rutgers 16
Records: U-M (6-3, 5-1 Big Ten), RU (8-5, 3-4 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 8 -- vs. Iowa (Crisler Center), 8 p.m.
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NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Sophomore heavyweight Mason Parris used a first-period pin to put the exclamation point on the No. 25-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team's 21-16 win against No. 23 Rutgers in the Big Ten Super Saturday event on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 1) at Madison Square Garden. With the win, the Wolverines improved to 5-1 in Big Ten Conference duals.
The Wolverines claimed four of the opening five bouts, but Rutgers won four straight after the intermission break to take a 16-15 lead -- its first of the dual -- heading into the final bout. Parris, ranked No. 2 nationally, scored on a quick single leg, then hit his fireman's carry and transitioned to a half for the fall at 1:17 against Alex Esposito. Parris improved to 22-0 on the season with 14 bonus wins, including eight falls. It was the second time in Big Ten action that he used a pin to clinch a U-M dual win in the final bout.
Junior/sophomore Jack Medley set the tone at the lowerweights with a gritty 2-1 decision over 16th-ranked Nicolas Aguilar at 125 pounds. After fighting off a few deep leg attacks in the first period, Medley used a big third-period ride to accumulate 1:16 in time advantage -- the difference in the decision win. It was Medley's fourth win over a ranked opponent this season -- and second time in as many weekends.
After fifth-year senior Austin Assad just missed on an upset win of his own -- a 4-3 loss to 10th-ranked Sammy Alvarez -- Michigan surged ahead with back-to-back bonus wins at 141 and 149 pounds. Freshman Cole Mattin rolled to an 11-3 major decision over Zach Firestone, breaking the bout open with a six-point move from neutral danger in the second period. He tacked on two more takedowns in the third and rode out the match to secure the bonus point.
Senior/junior Kanen Storr, ranked ninth at 149 pounds, earned a 17-1 technical fall against Gerard Angelo and, like Mattin, broke it open with a takedown and back points in the waning seconds of the second period, covering an Angelo throw attempt for two-and-two. He added a five-point near fall off a Rutgers roll-through attempt in the third and, after earning choice after the Rutgers injury time, escaped and sealed the bout with a single-leg takedown at 5:38.
Sophomore/freshman Will Lewan, ranked 12th nationally, rounded out the Wolverine winners with a 5-3 decision against Mike Van Brill at 157 pounds. Lewan had to rally from an initial deficit, and, after a second Rutgers stall warning evened the score midway through the third, he finished on a single-leg takedown with just 11 seconds on the board.
The Wolverines will wrap up the home portion of their 2019-20 dual schedule next Saturday (Feb. 8), hosting No. 1 Iowa at 8 p.m. at Crisler Center. Tickets are still available through the U-M Ticket Office.
No. 25 Michigan 21, No. 23 Rutgers 16
Individual rankings by FloWrestling
125 -- Jack Medley (U-M) dec. #16 Nicolas Aguilar, 2-1 -- U-M, 3-0
133 -- #10 Sammy Alvarez (RU) dec. Austin Assad, 4-3 -- Tied, 3-3
141 -- Cole Mattin (U-M) major dec. Zach Firestone, 11-3 -- U-M, 7-3
149 -- #9 Kanen Storr (U-M) tech. fall Gerard Angelo, 17-1 (5:38) -- U-M, 12-3
157 -- #12 Will Lewan (U-M) dec. Mike Van Brill, 5-3 -- U-M, 15-3
165 -- Brett Donner (RU) dec. Tyler Meisinger, 8-3Â -- U-M, 15-6
174 -- Willie Scott (U-M) major dec. Max Maylor, 13-2Â -- U-M, 15-10
184 -- #23 Billy Janzer (RU) dec. #15 Jelani Embree, 3-1 TB -- U-M, 15-13
197 -- #19 Jordan Pagano (RU) dec. Jackson Striggow, 6-5 -- RU, 16-15
Hwt -- #2 Mason Parris (U-M) pinned Alex Esposito, 1:17Â -- U-M, 21-16
Players Mentioned
