Feb. 5, 2006
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue Boilermakers wrestling suffered a sixth consecutive setback on Sunday afternoon, falling to the the Michigan Wolverines by the score of 27-11.
The 0-6 Big Ten record marks the second time under head coach Jessie Reyes that the Boilermakers started the Big Ten dual season with six losses, the last time coming in 1994-95 when Purdue was 0-7 in conference action.
Starting off the meet with a Wolverine win at 125 pounds, the Boilermakers bounced back with a decisive victory by fifth-ranked 133-pounder Chris Fleeger. After falling behind 6-1 in the first period to 12th-ranked Mark Moos, Fleeger reversed Moos to end the period and set the pace for the remainder of the match. Fleeger would tally eight back points and over one minute in riding time to win the match, 17-8.
Purdue dropped the next five matches, including a tough battle at 149 pounds between seventh-ranked Doug Withstandley and fifth-ranked Eric Tannenbaum, the Wolverine coming away with an 8-4 decision. The Boilermakers responded, however, as third-ranked 184-pounder Ben Wissel and 20th-ranked 197-pounder Nathan Moore posted back-to-back victories.
Wissel dominated the Wolverine from the beginning, taking down Hassen Berri a total of 10 times during the match while not allowing his opponent a single offensive point. Wissel also built up nearly three minutes of riding time and finished the match strong by taking down Berri at the buzzer, winning 23-8. Wissel is now 30-2 on the season and has recorded 154 takedowns, the second-most in a season by a Boilermaker, trailing only Ryan Lange's 182 takedowns in 2002-03.
Moore kept the Boilermaker momentum going with a tight 3-2 decision over Casey White. Moore scored a takedown in the first period and rode White for the remainder of the period. White scored a reversal to start the second period, but with a Boilermaker escape, Moore posted his 28th win of the season.
Purdue's next dual will be Friday, Feb. 10, when the Boilermakers play host to the Ohio State Buckeyes at 7 p.m. in the Intercollegiate Athletic Facility.