Feb. 3, 2014

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ohio State Wrestling Contact:

Danielle Warner (warner.238@osu.edu)

 

No. 12 Ohio State Rallies to Defeat No. 24 Purdue, 16-15

Buckeyes win final four matches via decisions to edge Boilermakers   

 

RELATED INFO

·         Box Score

·         Follow the Buckeyes on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio – After dropping five of its six opening bouts at No. 24 Purdue Monday night, the 12th ranked Ohio State wrestling team won its final four matches via decisions to edge the Boilermakers, 16-15, at Holloway Gymnasium in West Lafayette, Ind. Ohio State improves to 8-4 overall and 3-4 in the Big Ten, while Purdue drops to 6-6 overall and 1-6 in the league.

 

Redshirt-junior and third-ranked Logan Stieber’s major decision victory vs. Danny Sabatello at 141 pounds proved to be the difference maker as both teams won five matches on the night. The only wrestler to score bonus points for either team, Stieber jumped out to a 6-0 lead on a pair of takedowns and a 2-point nearfall after the first period. With both wrestlers in the neutral position to start the second period, Stieber once again took Sabatello down and turned the Boilermaker on his back for 3 back points. By the end of the third period, Stieber had scored an escape and accrued riding time. 

 

Joining Stieber in the win column was No. 14 Mark Martin (174 pounds), No. 10 Kenny Courts (184 pounds), No. 8 Nick Heflin (197 pounds) and Nick Tavanello (HWT).

 

With Ohio State trailing Purdue, 15-4, Martin, a redshirt-sophomore began the Buckeye rally with his 5-4 decision vs. Patrick Kissel. Leading Kissel, 4-3, to start the third period, Martin was marked with back-to-back stalling calls that tied the score at 4-all. However, Martin’s riding time lifted him to his 21st win of the season.

 

Up next at 184 pounds, Martin’s classmate Courts used three takedowns, a reversal and riding time to defeat Tanner Lynde, who was limited to three escapes and a penalty point, in his 9-4 victory.

 

Wrestling in his third overtime match of the season, Heflin, a senior, was an 8-6 winner against No. 14 Braden Atwood. A takedown in the extra period by Heflin secured his 15th victory of the season after both wrestlers entered sudden victory knotted up at 6 apiece. With Heflin up 6-5 in the third period, a late escape by Atwood tied the score, forcing the match into overtime.     

 

Having cut Purdue’s lead to two points (15-13) before the final match which pitted heavyweights Tavanello and Boilermaker Alex White, the Buckeyes simply needed the win to garner their eighth victory of the season overall and third in the Big Ten. With both wrestlers scoreless in the first and second periods, the Buckeye redshirt-freshman scored an escape and compiled riding time in his 2-0 win.

 

In other matches, redshirt-freshman and No. 15 Nick Roberts dropped a 5-3 decision to Camden Eppert to open the night at 125 pounds. No. 5 and redshirt-sophomore Johnni DiJulius faced No. 15 Cashé Quiroga and lost, 7-5, in the 133-pound bout. Between 149-165 pounds, senior Ian Paddock lost, 5-3, to Brandon Nelsen, redshirt-junior Randy Languis suffered a 3-1 setback to Alex Griffin and senior Joe Grandominico fell to Pat Robinson, 8-3.  

 

Ohio State returns to action at 7 p.m. Friday when it hosts Michigan State at Massillon Perry High School.    

 

#GoBucks