Jan. 28, 2007
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Purdue University wrestling team fell at the top-ranked University of Minnesota on Sunday afternoon, 32-9. With the loss, Purdue falls to 10-4 overall and 0-4 in the Big Ten Duals, while Minnesota improved to 13-1 (3-0 Big Ten).
Purdue's 14th-ranked 197-pound senior captain Nathan Moore pushed his Big Ten record to 4-0 as he defeated freshman Brent Eidenschink, 5-1, while junior 133-pounder Sean Schmaltz picked up his first career conference victory and freshman Justin Fraga evened his Big Ten record at 2-2 at 165 pounds. Schmaltz upended freshman Mike Thorn, 4-2, while Fraga topped junior Jeremy Larson, 13-8.
The Gophers opened the match with a 4-0 lead as fourth-ranked freshman Jason Ness tallied a 14-5 major decision over Purdue junior Brandon Tucker. However, Schmaltz reduced that lead to just one, 4-3, with his narrow win over Thorn. Schmaltz scored an early takedown in the match and the used a third-period escape and a riding time point to secure the win.
Minnesota took a commanding lead over the next three matches as second-ranked junior Manuel Rivera earned a 13-4 major decision over Boilermaker freshman Nick Bertucci at 141-pounds, top-ranked sophomore Dustin Schlatter squeaked past No. 11 sophomore Jake Patacsil at 149 and No. 3 junior C.P. Schlatter posted a 14-3 major decision over Purdue sophomore Jake Murphy at 157. The Patacsil vs. Schlatter matchup was as tight as anticipated as Schlatter managed a second-period takedown and was awarded a penalty point to take a 3-0 lead, and Patacsil was unable to turn Schlatter in the final frame. Patacsil's two points came from a Schlatter stalling penalty and the riding-time point.
Fraga bounced back for the Boilers at 165, building an 8-3 lead in the first period and rolling to his 21st victory of the season. Fraga took Larson down twice in the opening frame, earned his team-leading 12th reversal of the season and picked up a pair of back points as well. Fraga scraped together two more takedowns in the second, and escaped in the third to close out his scoring.
Purdue freshman Jason Martin was pinned in 2:52 by 12th-ranked junior Gabriel Dretsch to stretch the Minnesota lead to 21-6, and a technical fall-victory by the Gophers' second-ranked junior 184-pounder Roger Kish over Purdue senior Nick Skinner pushed the advantage to 26-6.
Moore's seventh-straight win at 197 pounds came on the strength of a first-period takedown and third-period reversal as he piled up almost three and a half minutes of riding time. He has relinquished just four points in Big Ten competition thus far and only one takedown.
The Boilermakers closed out the day by forfeiting to the Gophers' top-ranked senior heavyweight Cole Konrad.
Purdue returns to action next weekend as the host a pair of Big Ten Duals. The Boilers welcome the ninth-ranked and undefeated University of Wisconsin Badgers on Friday night, and return on Sunday to face No. 23 Michigan State University.