Jan. 15, 2012
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa wrestling team scored four bonus-point victories en route to a 24-13 win over No. 17 Northwestern today inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes won six of 10 bouts en route to their 39th straight conference victory.
“Six out of 10 matches isn’t what we’re about,” said head coach Tom Brands. “It’s a lot more fun to steam roll opponents, work hard, and feel good about all 10 guys. We have work to do.”
The Hawkeyes (9-1, 4-0) got cooking and built a 14-3 team lead with three consecutive bonus-point wins at 125, 133 and 141 pounds. Junior Matt McDonough totaled five takedowns and added a pair of nearfall points en route to an 18-4 major decision over seventh-ranked Levi Mele at 125. Sophomore Tony Ramos then followed suit with a first period pin over Jameson Oster. Ramos led 4-1 before flattening Oster with 26 seconds left in the opening frame. The pin was the fifth of the season for Ramos.
Senior Montell Marion continued the pressure with a 21-7 major decision at 141. Marion piled up nine takedowns — three in the first, four in the second, two in the third — en route to his team-high seventh major decision of the season.
The Hawkeyes string of wins followed the duals’ opening bout between No. 19 Mike McMullan and eighth-ranked Bobby Telford. The heavyweights battled to a 5-5 tie through three periods before McMullan finished a takedown in the sudden victory period to earn the 7-5 win.
The Wildcats (5-3, 1-2) got back on the board when Kaleb Friedley won a 3-2 decision over redshirt freshman Michael Kelly at 149 pounds to pull with seven, 14-6. Northwestern then trimmed Iowa’s team lead to 14-10 when No. 3 Jason Welch earned a 17-4 major decision over redshirt freshman Nick Moore.
Redshirt freshman Mike Evans ended Northwestern’s run with an 11-0 major decision over Pierce Harger. Evans scored a takedown in the first period and added three nearfall points as time expired to take a 5-0 advantage into the second frame. He scored two more takedowns over the final four minutes and totaled 2:50 of riding time to pick up his fourth major decision of the season.
Sophomore Ethen Lofthouse extended the Hawkeye team lead to 21-10 with a 5-2 decision over No. 9 Lee Munster. Lofthouse trailed 2-1 after the first period, but he rode Munster the entire second frame to take control of the match. He then opened the third period with an escape, scored a takedown, was awarded a point for stalling and cashed in 2:35 of riding time to earn the win.
Senior Vinnie Wager clinched the team score with an 11-4 win at 184. Wagner did not allow an offensive point and totaled four takedowns to pick up the win and extend Iowa’s team lead to 24-10. Northwestern earned the final decision of the night when John Schoen took advantage of a stall call on Iowa’s Grant Gambrall to hold on for a 2-1 win at 197.
The second-ranked Hawkeyes travel to Columbus, Ohio, and State College, Pa., for a pair of Big Ten road duals Jan. 20 and 22. The Buckeyes host Iowa on Friday, Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. (CT). Penn State hosts the Hawkeyes on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. (CT). Both events will be broadcast by AM-800 KXIC and streamed online at hawkeyesports.com via Hawkeye All-Access. The Penn State dual will be televised by BTN.com.
Notes: Attendance was 7, 954… Iowa scored 27 takedowns and allowed just seven… the win was Iowa’s 39th straight conference dual victory.
#2 University of Iowa 24, #17 Northwestern University 13
Hwt. – #19 Mike McMullan (N) dec. #8 Bobby Telford, 7-5 (SV); TS 0-3
125 – #2 Matt McDonough (I) major dec. #7 Levi Mele (N), 18-4; TS 4-3
133 – #2 Tony Ramos (I) pinned Jameson Oster (N), 2:34; TS 10-3
141 – #3 Montell Marion (I) major dec. Pat Greco (N), 21-7; TS 14-3
149 – Kaleb Friedley (N) dec. Mike Kelly (I), 3-2; TS 14-6
157 – #3 Jason Welch (N) major dec. Nick Moore (I), 17-4; TS 14-10
165 – #9 Mike Evans (I) major dec. Pierce Harger (N), 11-0; TS 18-10
174 – #11 Ethen Lofthouse (I) dec. #9 Lee Munster (N), 5-2; TS 21-10
184 – Vinnie Wagner (I) dec. Robert Kellogg (N), 11-4; TS 24-10
197 – John Schoen (N) dec. Grant Gambrall (I), 2-1; TS 24-13