Michigan Hofstra Tie 18-18

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 11-ranked University of Michigan wrestling
team split 10 individual matches down the middle against No. 3 Hofstra
as the two teams teams battled to a 18-18 tie on Saturday evening (Jan.
6) in front of 871 fans at Cliff Keen Arena. It marks the first U-M tie
in two seasons as well as the first tie in the series history between
the two programs.

Kicking off the dual with the marquee match of the evening at 165
pounds, senior/junior captain Eric Tannenbaum (Naperville, Ill./North
HS), ranked fifth nationally in the latest NWCA poll, used a
first-period takedown to earn a 3-1 decision over the Pride's
fourth-ranked Mike Patrovich. The Wolverine scored the match's only
offensive points with a single leg late in the opening frame. After
quick escapes by both wrestlers early in the second and third periods
kept point differential at two, Tannenbaum stayed on the attack with a
deep single-leg shot midway through the final frame but could not
convert on the edge of the match. With the win, Tannenbaum improved his
season record to a perfect 11-0.

Michigan extended its advantage to 12-0 with wins by senior/juniors
Steve Luke (Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS) and Tyrel Todd (Bozeman,
Mont./Bozeman HS) in the subsequent two matches, including a quick
first-period fall at 184 pounds. Luke needed just a pair of escapes to
emerge with a 2-0 victory over 12th-ranked Alton Lucas. The U-M
sophomore, ranked eighth, earned a quick escape at the start of the
middle frame and another at the early in the third after the Pride
wrestler took a second injury timeout.

Fourth-ranked Todd wasted little time before dumping Rich Muzikar to the
mat, shooting in on a single 30 seconds into the match and finishing
with a double leg on the edge of the mat. The Wolverine sophomore used a
arm bar to turn Muzikar for two points midway through the frame and,
just moments later, used head lever to put the Pride wrestler flat on
the mat, earning his third fall of the season at 1:48 mark.

Hofstra claimed its first win of the evening at 197 pounds, where the
Pride's third-ranked Chris Weidman used riding time to earn a 9-8
decision over junior/sophomore Casey White (Commerce, Mich./Walled Lake
Central HS). White, in his first match in more than a month, trailed by
five points after the opening two periods but rallied in the final frame
with a takedown and two escapes. The Wolverine ran out of time, however,
as Weidman's 4:00 in time advantage proved to be the tiebreaker.

Senior/junior heavyweight Omar Maktabi (Iowa City, Iowa/West HS)
converted on a takedown midway through the overtime frame to secure a
3-1 decision against Hofstra's Matt Pollock and give the Wolverines a
15-3 advantage entering the halftime intermission. The wrestlers
exchanged escapes during regulation, but neither was able to take
advantage of scoring opportunities. In extra time, Maktabi used a front
headlock to gain position behind Pollock, locked up his hands and used a
trip to put the Pride heavyweight on the mat.

The Pride would claim the next three matches at the lightweights,
including two with bonus points, to even the team score at 15-15 with
two bouts remaining. Fifth-ranked Dave Tomasette initiated the rally in
the first match out of the break, earning a 16-0 technical fall at 125
pounds against senior/junior James Shaheen (Troy, Mich./Athens HS) in
the Wolverines' varsity debut. The Pride wrestler scored a pair of
takedowns and 11 back points to end the bout at the 5:59 mark.

Freshman Chris Diehl (Burton, Mich./Flint Kearsley HS) kept his
133-pound match close against 19th-ranked Lou Ruggirello, matching the
Pride wrestler two takedowns with a pair of his own. Ruggirello,
however, held the advantage in escapes and used three of them to claim a
7-4 decision. At 141 pounds, Hofstra's 19th-ranked Charles Griffin
accumulated a pair of takedowns, a second-period revedrsal and five back
points en route to a 12-2 major decision against sophomore/freshman
Justin Chrzanowski (Metamora, Mich./Lapeer West HS).

The teams traded decision victories in the final two matches -- at 149
and 157 pounds -- to preserve the final 18-18 tie. Senior/junior captain
Josh Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS) cruised 6-1 win over Mike
Parziale behind single-leg takedowns in the first and third periods. He
added 1:31 in riding time en route to his seventh consecutive victory.

Senior/junior Jeff Marsh (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) hung close with
fourth-ranked James Strouse through most of his 157-pound contest, but
the Pride wrestler sealed his 6-3 victory midway through the final frame
with a low single leg on the edge of the mat.

The Wolverines will compete in the prestigious Cliff Keen/NWCA National
Duals on Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 13-14) in Cedar Falls, Iowa. U-M will
be one of 16 teams competing in the Division I field. Hosted by the
University of Northern Iowa, all matches will be held at the UNI Dome.

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