No. 9 Spartan Wrestling Dominates No. 16 Purdue, 23-9
2/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Feb. 21, 2003
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Senior Gray Maynard (Las Vegas, Nev.) became just the 14th Spartan in history to collect 100 career victories as the No. 9 Michigan State wrestling team (10-5, 6-1 Big Ten) won its seventh consecutive match, defeating No. 16 Purdue 23-9 Friday night (Feb. 21) at the Intercollegiate Athletic Facility. With the win, MSU remained in a three-way tie atop the Big Ten standings with No. 2 Iowa and No. 3 Minnesota.
The Spartans took seven of the 10 matches from the Boilermakers (14-5, 3-4 Big Ten) on the night. Maynard began the dual with a 14-6 major decision win at 157 pounds over Clovis Crane. Maynard moved up to 14th on MSU's all-time win list with his landmark 100th career victory.
MSU fell behind as it lost the 165 and 174-pound bouts, but Nate Mesyn (Jr., Clinton Twp.) started a three-bout winning streak with his 8-5 decision at 184 pounds.
Sixth-ranked Nik Fekete (Sr., Cranford, N.J.) ran his winning streak to 13 matches with his third-straight major decision victory at 197 pounds. Fekete defeated No. 13 Jon Bush, 15-6, to extend MSU's lead to 11-6 in the dual.
Heavyweight John Wechter (Sr., Saginaw), in his first appearance since the Feb. 7 Iowa dual, came back in style with a 5-3 decision over Israel Blevins.
Purdue won its last match as No. 1 and undefeated Chris Fleeger squeaked by seventh-ranked Nick Simmons (R-Fr., Williamston), 2-1.
The Spartans claimed the next three matches at 133, 141 and 149 pounds to finish the dual with a 23-9 advantage.
MSU returns to action Sunday, Feb. 23 to face No. 8 Illinois in Champaign at 2 p.m.
MATCH SUMMARY:Wt. Outcome Team Score157 No. 5 Gray Maynard (MSU) major dec. Clovis Crane (PU), 14-6 MSU, 4-0165 No. 7 Oscar Santiago (PU) dec. Arsen Aleksanyan (MSU), 6-4 MSU, 4-3174 No. 5 Ryan Lange (PU) dec. Rashad Evans (MSU), 2-1 PU, 6-4184 Nate Mesyn (MSU) dec. Ben Wissel (PU), 8-5 MSU, 7-6197 No. 6 Nik Fekete (MSU) major dec. No. 13 Jon Bush (PU), 15-6 MSU, 11-6Hwt. John Wechter (MSU) dec. Israel Blevins (PU), 5-3 MSU, 14-6125 No. 1 Chris Fleeger (PU) dec. No. 7 Nick Simmons (MSU), 2-1 MSU, 14-9133 Shane Martin (MSU) dec. Rene Hernandez (PU), 8-3 MSU, 17-9141 Ryan L'Amoreaux (MSU) dec. Doug Withstandley (PU), 7-2 MSU, 20-9149 No. 14 Karl Nadolsky (MSU) dec. Dan Jankowski (PU), 11-4 MSU, 23-9
PLEASE NOTE: Team rankings according to the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Individual rankings according to TheMat.com Coaches Poll.