Wrestling: WVU Comes Up Short
January 17, 2004 11:04 AM | General
January 17, 2004
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| Mullen |
CLEVELAND – A late rally be the 14th-ranked West Virginia University (2-3, 1-0) wrestling team was not enough as the Mountaineers fell to Michigan in opening round action at the 2004 Cliff Keen/National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals in Cleveland, Ohio.
West Virginia won three of the final four matches but fell 29-16 to the No. 8-rated Wolverines.
“We wrestled against a very good Michigan team this morning,” says WVU head coach Craig Turnbull. “It was a very competitive match and it is encouraging that we put ourselves in a position to win some matches.”
Michigan raced out to a 23-3 team lead through six matches. The Mountaineers early victory came from Joe Clarke’s 10-9 decision at 141-pounds.
Clarke took an early 4-0 lead over Michigan’s Clark Forward in the first period. Forward would tie the match at 5-5 in the middle period before a thrilling third period for both wrestlers. The senior Mountaineer scored a single-leg takedown in the final minute to secure a 10-9 decision.
WVU’s Eric Mullen, wrestling in his first dual meet action of the year, scored a fall over UM’s R.J. Boudro at 174-pounds. Mullen trailed 7-4 in the second period before turning Boudro on his back for his first career dual meet win.
Greg Jones, the nation's No. 1 ranked wrestler at 184-pounds, beat Michigan’s Josh Weitzel, 12-4. Jones used three takedowns and a reversal in notching his 10th win of the season. The junior’s victory narrowed the team score to 23-13 with two matches remaining.
Junior Matt Daddino won his 197-pound match against the Wolverine’s Chase Verdoorn. After a scoreless first period, Daddino scored two takedowns in taking a 5-3 decision.
West Virginia next wrestles at 1 p.m. this afternoon against host and Eastern Wrestling League foe Cleveland State. The Vikings lost in round one to Minnesota, 35-3.
Michigan 29 (7-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
West Virginia 16 (2-3, 1-0 EWL)
125: #8 Mark Moos (UM) Fall Nathan Kendjorsky (WVU) 5:37
133: #7 Foley Dowd (UM) Dec Seth Lisa (WVU) 6-4
141: #14 Joe Clarke (WVU) Dec #15 Clark Forward (UM) 10-9
149: #7 Ryan Churella (UM) Major Mike Torriero (WVU) 11-2
157: #2 Ryan Bertin (UM) Forfeit over WVU
165: #6 Pat Owen (UM) Tech Zac Fryling (WVU) 15-0
174: Eric Mullen (WVU) Fall R.J. Boudro (UM) 3:55
184: #1 Greg Jones (WVU) Major Josh Weitzel (UM) 12-4
197: #14 Matt Daddino (WVU) Dec Chase Verdoorn (UM) 5-3
285: #6 Greg Wagner (UM) Fall Lanfer Simpson (WVU) 2:20
