Wolverines split matches at season-opening EMU Duals

UM FALLS 23-16 TO EDINBORO

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Nov. 15, 2014

Site: Ypsilanti, Mich. (Bowen Field House)
Event: EMU Duals
Scores: #8 Michigan 28, #24 Ohio 3; #14 Edinboro 23, #8 Michigan 16
Records: U-M (1-1), Ohio (1-1), Edinboro (3-1)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, Nov. 25 - at Central Michigan (Mount Pleasant, Mich.), 7 p.m.

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team split a pair of dual matches at the season-opening EMU Duals, cruising past No. 24 Ohio, 28-3, before falling short against No. 14 Edinboro, 23-16, on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 15) at Eastern Michigan's Bowen Field House.

Four Wolverines posted 2-0 records on the day -- junior/sophomore Taylor Massa at 165 pounds, freshman Davonte Mahomes at 174, fifth-year senior Max Huntley at 197 and sophomore Adam Coon at heavyweight. Mahomes and Coon remain unbeaten this season.

Michigan claimed nine of 10 matches against the Bobcats. Junior/sophomore Conor Youtsey opened the dual with the Wolverines' lone bonus win, scoring two takedowns and two first-period back points to roll past Kevon Powell, 9-1, at 125 pounds. The Wolverines added back-to-back decisions at 133 and 141 pounds, including a 3-0 shutout for fifth-year senior Steve Dutton -- off a first-period double leg -- in his season debut at the latter weight.

Ohio's 12th-ranked Tywan Claxton held off freshman Alec Pantaleo, 4-3, at 149 pounds for the Bobcats' only win. The Wolverine rookie struck first on a first-period double leg and, after giving up a single leg in the second, was the aggressor late but struggled to keep Claxton on the mat, drawing one stall warning but not two.

Sophomore Brian Murphy and Massa regained U-M's momentum with wins at 157 and 165 pounds, respectively. Murphy needed extra time to defeat 18th-ranked Spartak Chino, using a rideout in the first tiebreaker to seal a 5-4 decision. Massa used a third-period reversal and 1:40 riding time to claim a back-and-forth match against 17th-ranked Harrison Hightower.

Mahomes made an impressive varsity debut at 174 pounds with a 5-3 decision over ninth-ranked Cody Walters, an All-American and two-time MAC champion. After a scoreless first period, Mahomes scored first on a quick escape in the second -- not before drawing a stall warning when Walters hung onto his ankle. Walters also escaped quickly in the third but was hit with two more stall calls -- both for Mahomes points -- while wrestling on the edge. Walters countered a shot to score a takedown but was hit with another late stall call after dropping to an ankle.

Sophomore/freshman Ayoola Olapo was also victorious in his varsity debut, scoring four takedowns en route to a 12-6 decision over Ohio's Garrett Conner at 184 pounds, before Huntley secured another Wolverine win over a top-10 opponent, defeating eighth-ranked Phil Wellington, 8-1. Huntley, ranked 17th, scored on a counter takedown in the waning seconds of the first period and two more late in the second and third to control the bout from start to finish.

Coon, ranked fourth, capped the Michigan win with an 8-3 decision against Jesse Webb, scoring three takedowns -- two in the first period -- and riding for 2:15.

The Wolverines were doomed by bonus points and close swing-match losses against Edinboro, who claimed the first five bouts to jump out to a 20-0 advantage midway through the dual. Michigan took four of the final five, claiming bonus in two, but could not overcome the deficit.

The Fighting Scot earned bonus wins from two of their top-five-ranked wrestlers, while the third, No. 2-ranked Mitchell Port, overcame an initial deficit to defeat No. 4-ranked Dutton, 5-2, at 141 pounds. After just missing on a pair of early leg attacks, Dutton finished on a high crotch attempt at the first-period buzzer. Port evened the score on an escape and quick stall point in the second before finishing on a low single leg of his own. He rode out the third period to accumulate 1:54 in time advantage.

Murphy also dropped a close decision in a marquee match at 157 pounds, falling to 13th-ranked Austin Matthews, 8-6, after a sluggish start. Trailing by five points midway through the third, Murphy scored two late takedowns and was in on another at the buzzer -- forcing Matthews to fight off his back -- but did not get the call.

Massa gave U-M a breakthrough win in the subsequent bout at 165 pounds, cradling up Casey Fuller for a quick fall at the 1:02 mark. It was Massa's third pin of the season.

Mahomes fought a 3-1 decision over Pat Jennings at 174 pounds, countering a Fighting Scot leg attack with a single-leg takedown, scrambling to score the bout's only offensive points late in the second period. With the win, he improved to 7-0 in his collegiate career.

After Edinboro sealed its dual with a decision at 184 pounds, the Wolverines closed with dominant efforts in back-to-back matches at 197 pounds and heavyweight. Huntley scored six takedowns, a reversal and 3:53 riding-time advantage en route to a 19-5 major decision against Vince Pickett. Coon finished three takedowns and rode for 1:53 in an 11-4 decision against Warren Bosch.

The Wolverines will travel to Mount Pleasant, Mich., to face intrastate rival Central Michigan on Tuesday, Nov. 25. The dual is slated for a 7 p.m. start at the Chippewas' McGuirk Arena.

#8 Michigan 28, #24 Ohio 3
Individual rankings from InterMat

#14 Edinboro 23, #8 Michigan 16
Individual rankings from InterMat