Jan. 6, 2013
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The 21st-ranked Purdue wrestling team suffered a 29-9 loss at fifth-ranked conference foe Iowa on Sunday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Boilermakers won three decisions in the dual, falling to 10-3 overall and evening their conference record at 1-1.
Junior Camden Eppert got the Boilermakers off to a solid start in the dual, topping Iowa's Matt Gurule at 125 pounds, 4-2. Eppert was in on a series of shots in the first period, but each time Gurule was able to funk his way out of danger and get a stalemate. After taking the bottom position to start the second, Eppert took a 1-0 lead with an escape and was able to finish his next shot, taking a 3-0 advantage to the final period. Gurule took a neutral start in the third and with Eppert looking to seal the bout the Hawkeye managed to counter a shot into a takedown of his own to cut the lead to 3-2. However, Eppert escaped late and fended off Gurule's late attacks to improve to 17-6 on the season and 2-0 in Big Ten Duals.
The Hawkeyes got things going their way at 133 and 141 as second-ranked Tony Ramos picked up a 13-4 major decision over Purdue freshman Danny Sabatello at 133 and 12th-ranked Mark Ballweg topped Boilermaker sophomore Brandon Nelsen at 141 pounds with a 22-7 technical fall, giving Iowa a 9-3 edge.
The Boilermakers cut back in to the lead at 149 pounds as senior Ivan Lopouchanski defended his undefeated record with a gutsy, come-from-behind, 10-9 win over Brody Grothus. Grothus was up early, scoring a four-point move and a second takedown for a 6-1 edge, but Lopouchanski halted the run there. As Grotus looked for a series of turns on top, Lopouchanski countered the aggression with a reversal and then kicked Grothus out to score his first takedown and end the period trailing, 7-5. After taking bottom, Lopouchanski scored a second reversal and then released Grothus to hit another slick takedown and a 9-8 lead at the end of two periods. Lopouchanski grinded out the third period from the top position, riding Grothus for almost the full two minutes and using the final riding-time point to earn his 16th victory of the year.
Leading 9-6, Iowa took firm control of the match from 157 to 184 pounds, scoring 17 straight team points to seal up the team victory. Top-ranked Derek St. John topped Purdue senior Tommy Churchard at 157, 7-3, and Nick Moore followed with a 12-4 major decision over Boilermaker sophomore Pat Robinson at 165. No. 11 Mike Evans needed 4:52 to pin Purdue freshman Chad Welch at 174 pounds and 10th-ranked Ethen Lofthouse sealed the run with a 16-5 major decision over Boilermaker sophomore Andy Wiseman at 184.
No. 12 sophomore Braden Atwood halted the Iowa run at 197 pounds, upending Nathan Burak, 4-1, for the Boilermakers' final victory of the night. Burak was fresh-off an upset of No. 8 Andrew Campolattano of Ohio State on Friday night, but Atwood prevented the freshman from winning a second straight over a ranked opponent. Atwood notched the bout's only takedown in the first period, countering a mistimed Burak shot and spinning behind for two. Burak escaped quickly for his only point before the end of the first, and Atwood stretched his lead to 3-1 after an escape at the start of the second. Burak was in on a pair of shots late in the second frame, but came up empty both times with solid defense from Atwood. Burak took bottom position in the third period and Atwood made him pay for it, holding him to the mat for the full two minutes and scoring the riding-time point for the win. Atwood improves to 18-3 on the season and 2-0 in Big Ten Duals.
Iowa prevailed in the final bout of the night as fifth-ranked Bobby Telford topped Purdue junior Alex White at heavyweight, 4-0. The Hawkeyes improved to 11-0 on the season and 2-0 in Big Ten Duals. The Boilermakers continue Big Ten Duals on Friday, traveling to sixth-ranked Illinois for a 7 p.m. (CT) tilt in Huff Hall.
#21 Purdue 9 - #5 Iowa 29
125: Camden Eppert (PU) def. Matt Gurule (UI), D 4-2 (PU 3 - UI 0)
133: Tony Ramos (UI) def. Danny Sabatello (PU), MD 13-4 (PU 3 - UI 4)
141: Mark Ballweg (UI) def. Brandon Nelsen (PU), TF 22-7 (6:39) (PU 3 - UI 9)
149: Ivan Lopouchanski (PU) def. Brody Grothus (UI), D 10-9 (PU 6 - UI 9)
157: Derek St. John (UI) def. Tommy Churchard (PU), D 7-3 (PU 6 - UI 12)
165: Nick Moore (UI) def. Pat Robinson (PU), MD 12-4 (PU 6 - UI 16)
174: Mike Evans (UI) def. Chad Welch (PU), Fall 4:52 (PU 6 - UI 22)
184: Ethen Lofthouse (UI) def. Andy Wiseman (PU), MD 16-5 (PU 6 - UI 26)
197: Braden Atwood (PU) def. Nathan Burak (UI), D 4-1 (PU 9 - UI 26)
285: Bobby Telford (UI) def. Alex White (PU), D 4-0 (PU 9 - UI 29)