WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Fourteenth-ranked Danny Sabatello (133) registered his sixth win over a ranked opponent this season by shocking No. 4 Zane Richards of Illinois Sunday inside Holloway Gymnasium. Sabatello was one of three Boilermakers that were victorious as No. 21 Purdue suffered a 21-9 loss to the 14th-ranked Illini. The Old Gold & Black moved to 8-7, 1-5 B1G on the season. Illinois improved to 11-4, 5-3 B1G.
In addition to Sabatello, Purdue received decisions from Brandon Nelsen at 149 and No. 11 Braden Atwood at 197. Illinois scored first in nine of the 10 bouts and held a 13-5 takedown advantage while winning seven of the weights via decision.
"We've got to be ready to go in the first period," Purdue head wrestling coach Tony Ersland said. "We let some matches get away today in the first period and the same thing Friday night at Ohio State. Against the better teams you have got to be ready to go right away. Danny [Sabatello] came out and got the first takedown for us. Our first period is going to be big moving forward. We have got to be ready to go right from the get go and jump in these matches hard. We are in shape and we can close matches out; we've got to make that first period count for some of those guys who are dropping close matches."
Sabatello dealt Richards a 4-2 decision for his second win over a top-10 opponent this season. Early in the opening period, Richards was awarded a takedown on the edge as the two grapplers went out of bounds, however the call was challenged by Ersland and it was overturned. That early moment proved to swing the match Sabatello's way. He capitalized on Richards' letdown with a takedown of his own. Richards made it a 2-1 with an escape at the end of the period.
Always tough on top, Sabatello rode Richards out for the duration of the second period to build 2:17 of riding time heading into the final two minutes of action. The redshirt junior Boilermaker escaped seconds into the third for a 3-1 advantage. He surrendered a point to Richards after a second stall call, to make it 3-2, but Sabatello was awarded his fourth point thanks to 2:13 of riding time.
The win over No. 4 Richards stands as the highest ranked opponent that Sabatello has beaten in his career as he pushed his season mark to 21-5.
"I am on a game plan and I need to keep sticking to the course," Sabatello said. "It is a good win; it's not March so it does not mean a whole lot. It is good to get wins and know that I am on the right track. I just have to keep my belief and eyes on March."
Nelsen (18-9) avenged an early season loss to Kyle Langenderfer by defeating the Illini 149-pounder, 6-5. Langenderfer took Nelsen down in the opening minute of the match, but that was the only offense he'd get. Trailing 3-1 in the second period, Nelsen got a takedown to tie it 3-3 and Langenderfer quickly escaped to regain the lead, 4-3. Starting from bottom in the final period, Nelsen escaped and got the match-winning takedown with 34 seconds remaining in the match.
Atwood, who was back in action for the first time since Jan. 16, used a monstrous third period to come from behind and beat Jeff Koepke, 7-3. Facing a 3-1 deficit with two minutes to go, Atwood escaped from Koepke 20 seconds in to make it 3-2. The redshirt senior hailing from Delphi, Ind., hit Koepke with a takedown and went for the tilt. As the horn sounded, Atwood was awarded a three-point nearfall.
"[Braden] Atwood is a competitor, a good competitor," Ersland said. "He is going to keep competing hard from whistle to whistle. He did that today. He scored late and found a way to win."
The 11th-ranked 197-pounder improved to 11-4 in his final campaign for Purdue.
Sunday's match was the first of four straight at home in Holloway Gymnasium for the Boilermakers. They will be back in action Feb. 8 as they host No. 16 Michigan at 1 p.m. ET for Military Appreciation Day.
NO. 14 ILLINOIS 21, NO. 21 PURDUE 9
125 // No. 1 Jesse Delgado (Illinois) dec. Luke Welch (Purdue), 3-1
133 // No. 14 Danny Sabatello (Purdue) dec. No. 4 Zane Richards (Illinois), 4-2
141 // No. 12 Steven Rodrigues (Illinois) dec. Nick Lawrence (Purdue), 6-2
149 // Brandon Nelsen (Purdue) dec. Kyle Langenderfer (Illinois), 6-5
157 // No. 3 Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) dec. No. 12 Doug Welch (Purdue), 11-4
165 // No. 9 Jackson Morse (Illinois) dec. Pat Robinson (Purdue), 9-6
174 // No. 9 Zac Brunson (Illinois) dec. Chad Welch (Purdue), 8-1
184 // No. 20 Nikko Reyes (Illinois) dec. Patrick Kissel (Purdue), 4-2
197 // No. 11 Braden Atwood (Purdue) dec. Jeff Keopke (Illinois), 7-3
285 // Brooks Black (Illinois) dec. Gelen Robinson (Purdue), 2-0