Michigan State University
No. 12 Illinois
Michigan State Falls At No. 12 Illinois Friday
1/27/2017 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
CHAMPAIGN, ILL. -- A pair of juniors, Javier Gasca and Austin Eicher, collected victories but Michigan State wrestling fell at No. 12 Illinois, 30-9, Friday night at Illinois' Huff Hall.
Friday was the first of the Spartans' pair of ranked opponents on the weekend, as they have a quick turnaround, returning home to host No. 11 Rutgers on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 2 p.m. at Jenison Field House.
Michigan State is now 4-8 on the season and 1-5 in Big Ten action while the Illini improved to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in B1G competition. Friday was the 10th-straight meeting between MSU and UI in which the Illini have been nationally ranked, and Illinois has now won the last four meetings, but Michigan State still holds a 40-20-4 all-time lead in the series.
"As we continue to grow as a program our guys need to be able build from their previous matches and compete to their fullest each time they step on the mat. Part of growth entails each individual believing in themselves and using their abilities to their fullest," MSU head coach Roger Chandler said. "Each one of our guys has the ability to challenge themselves both mentally and physically to become championship level wrestlers. As a competitor, they should expect that out of themselves."
At 141 pounds, redshirt junior Gasca collected an 8-2 decision over Mousa Jodeh of Illinois, jumping out early and coasting to the decision. Redshirt junior Eicher collected a forfeit at 133 for MSU's lone wins on the night.
The match's opening bout, the 149 match between MSU senior Nick Trimble and Illinois' Eric Barone needed extra time after a 1-1 regulation score. Barone scored on an escape early in the bout before Trimble scored at the end of regulation with the riding time, but the Illini wrestler scored a takedown in extra time for a 3-1 sudden victory decision.
Friday's other exciting match was at 125 pounds, where redshirt junior Mitch Rogaliner was edged by the Illini's Travis Piotrowski, 2-1, with Piotrowski picking up the riding time point after a 1-1 regulation bout. The Illinois grappler scored his point in the start of the second period and the Spartan leveled the bout on an escape near the end of regulation before Piotrowski earned the riding time point for the victory.
Sunday's match against the 11th-ranked Scarlet Knights of Rutgers will be nationally televised on the Big Ten Network.
Bout-By-Bout
149: Eric Barone (ILL) dec. Nick Trimble (MSU), SV-1 3-1
The opening bout of the night was scoreless through the first period, before Barone got an escape from the second period starting position. The score remained 1-0 through the rest of the second stanza and into the third, before Trimble leveled the bout at 1-all with the riding time at end of regulation, forcing extra time and Barone scored a takedown for the 3-1 sudden victory.
157: No. 18 Kyle Langenderfer (ILL) maj. dec. Austin Thompson (MSU), 13-5
Thompson scored the first two points of the bout with a takedown, before Langenderfer countered with an escape and a takedown of his own for a 3-2 lead after one period. The Illini wrestler added another escape and takedown plus a two-point near fall before Thompson scored an escape to close to 8-3 after two stanzas. Thompson scored an escape to close to 8-4, before another Langenderfer takedown made it 10-4, but the Spartan again escaped and got a point, before Langenderfer tacked on another takedown and added the riding time point for the 13-5 major decision.
165: No. 1 Isaiah Martinez (ILL) tech. fall Drew Hughes (MSU), 22-7
Scoring was fast and frenzied in the opening period, as Martinez posted three takedowns, that Hughes escaped from all three for a 6-3 score, but then Martinez added another takedown plus a four-point near fall for a 12-3 lead. Hughes got an escape then escaped from two more Martinez takedowns. Two more Martinez takedowns sandwiched a Hughes escape and the score was 20-7 after the first period. After all the scoring in the opening period, there was no scoring in the second stanza and into the third. Hughes was penalized for stalling on two different occasions, awarding points to Martinez both times for the 22-7 technical fall final outcome.
174: No. 12 Zac Brunson (ILL) maj. dec. Logan Ritchie (MSU), 13-2
Brunson scored a first-period takedown for an early 2-0 advantage. The Illinois grappler added a reversal and a four-point near fall in the second frame for an 8-0 lead heading into the third period. Ritchie scored two points by countering a pair of Brunson takedowns with escapes, but couldn't get any other points and Brunson added the riding time point for the 13-2 major decision.
184: No. 12 Emery Parker (ILL) maj. dec. Shwan Shadaia (MSU), 10-1
Parker tallied a takedown and a four-point near fall for a 6-0 advantage through the first frame. There was no scoring by either wrestler in the second period before Parker got an escape out of the third period starting position for a 7-0 advantage. Parker added another takedown but Shadaia escaped from it, but couldn't counter with any other scoring and the Illini grappler added riding time point for the 10-1 major decision.
197: Andre Lee (ILL) dec. Jimmy Russell (MSU), 4-0
In Russell's debut in the Spartans' dual lineup, Lee staked himself to a 2-0 lead with a takedown in the first frame, and the score remained 2-0 into the second stanza. The home wrestler added an escape out of the starting position to commence action in the second, before adding the riding time point for a 4-0 decision.
HWT: Brooks Black (ILL) maj. dec. Jacob Cooper (MSU), 14-2
Black opened a 6-0 lead behind a takedown and a four-point near fall. The score stayed 6-0 into period number two, where the Illinois wrestler added an escape, a takedown and another four-point near fall for a 13-0 advantage after two frames. Cooper got on the board with a takedown but that would be the closest he would get and Black added the point for riding time and earned major decision at 14-2.
125: Travis Piotrowski (ILL) dec. Mitch Rogaliner (MSU), 2-1
The bout was scoreless through the first period. Piotrowski scored an escape out of the starting position and held the 1-0 lead through the rest of the opening frame, all through the second stanza and into the third. Rogaliner evened the bout with a point on an escape late in the bout and the score remained level to the end of regulation, but Piotrowski earned the riding time point and collected the 2-1 decision.
133: Austin Eicher (MSU) won by forfeit
Eicher earned a forfeit.
141: Javier Gasca (MSU) dec. Mousa Jodeh (ILL), 8-2
Gasca tallied a takedown in the early going for a 2-0 lead. The Spartan held that 2-0 lead in the second period, adding an escape and another takedown for a 5-0 advantage. Jodeh got on the board with an escape but Gasca added another takedown for a 7-1 score after two periods. The Illini grappler earned an escape point partway through the third frame and Gasca tacked on the riding time point for the 8-2 victory by decision.
No. 12 Illinois 30, Michigan State 9
125: Travis Piotrowski (ILL) dec. Mitch Rogaliner (MSU), 2-1; ILL leads, 30-0
133: Austin Eicher (MSU) won by forfeit; ILL leads, 30-6
141: Javier Gasca (MSU) dec. Mousa Jodeh (ILL), 8-2; ILL wins, 30-9
149: Eric Barone (ILL) dec. Nick Trimble (MSU), SV-1 3-1; ILL leads, 3-0
157: No. 18 Kyle Langenderfer (ILL) maj. dec. Austin Thompson (MSU), 13-5; ILL leads, 7-0
165: No. 1 Isaiah Martinez (ILL) tech. fall Drew Hughes (MSU), 22-7; ILL leads, 12-0
174: No. 12 Zac Brunson (ILL) maj. dec. Logan Ritchie (MSU), 13-2; ILL leads, 16-0
184: No. 12 Emery Parker (ILL) maj. dec. Shwan Shadaia (MSU), 10-1; ILL leads, 20-0
197: Andre Lee (ILL) dec. Jimmy Russell (MSU), 4-0; ILL leads, 23-0
HWT: Brooks Black (ILL) maj. dec. Jacob Cooper (MSU), 14-2; ILL leads, 27-0
Attendance: 646
Players Mentioned
