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34 - The Michigan Daily - Orientation Edition 2006 QD
r;
Grapplers win Big Tens
after toppling Gophers
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By David VandeVusse
Feb. 17, 2006
The atmosphere at sold-out
Cliff Keen Arena was electric.
And Michigan wrestling fans had
every reason to be excited.
On Friday, No. t Minnesota
visited Ann Arbor to take on the
third-ranked Wolverines. Michi-
gan handed the Golden Gophers
their first loss of the season in an
emotional 19-15 triumph.
Coming into the night, the mar-
quee matchup positioned Michi-
gan senior Greg Wagner against
Minnesota junior Cole Konrad
- both of whom were undefeated
going into the dual meet.
But Michigan sealed the win
before the two heavyweights even
took the mat.
Heading into the 197-pound
match, Michigan stood one
match-victory short of knocking
off the Gophers. Redshirt fresh-
man Casey White emerged vic-
torious over Minnesota's Mitch
Kuhlman.
White and Kuhlman traded
reversals in the second period,
but White mounted a key escape
to take a 3-2 advantage heading
into the final frame. In the third,
White started on top. With 40
seconds remaining, he maneu-
vered to bring one of Kuhlman's
shoulders to the mat. With the
crowd on its feet, White added
three points to his score when
he held Kuhlman in the near-
fall position for the duration
of the period. White received
an extra point for riding time,
giving him a 7-2 decision and
lifting the Wolverines to a meet-
clinching 19-12 lead.
"I came out of the gates and
I knew it was going to be a big
match," White said. "I was a little
nervous, but I think that's a good
thing sometimes."
Though White's win at 197
guaranteed Michigan the victory,
the Wagner-Konrad battle still
loomed. Something had to give
between the two standouts.
The match started slow and
remained defensive throughout.
In the second period Wagner
failed to escape from the bottom
position, giving Konrad a big
riding time advantage. Konrad
chose to start neutral in the third.
Wagner fought for the takedown,
knowing he needed the points
because of the discrepancy of
SioUX
Continued from Page 30
Parise's performance was not su
play the entire season. Friday's ga
against-average at a paltry 2.05, an
age was an impressive 933.
"I thought tonight he did the
done for us the entire year," Nor
Dave Hakstol said. "He's been
40
Michigan dethroned No. 1 Minnesota en route to an undefeated
Big Ten regular season, which gave them the conference title.
time on top. But Konrad held The much-anticipated dual
tough and won the match 1-0 meet featured 16 rankedwrestlers,
because of his 2:00 advantage in including three top-ranked com-
riding time. The loss was Wag- petitors.
ner's first since his third-place "People gottheirmoney'sworth
bout at the NCAA Champion- tonight," McFarland said.
ships last March. Friday's win clinched at least
Michigan kicked off the eve- a share of the regular season Big
ning with a win by 125-pound Ten title for the Maize and Blue.
freshman Michael Watts. Watts And the Wolverines had an oppor-
had four takedowns and one tunity to take sole ownership of
escape to earn a 9-6 victory over the crown with a win against Indi-
Travis Lang. ana yesterday.
"I thought (Michael Watts) The Wolverines won eight of 10
did a great job," Michigan coach matches en route to a 31-9 thrash-
Joe McFarland said. "That was ing of the Hoosiers.Pins fromred-
huge for us to get started on the shirt sophomores Josh Churella
right foot." and Eric Tannenbaum highlighted
Redshirt junior Nick Roy added the meet.
a Michigan win in the 174-pound Wagner rebounded from Fri-
class. With the score knotted at one day's defeat with a 3-2 decision
apiece, Roy mounted a big single- over Dave Herman in his last
leg takedown for two points. He home match as a Wolverine. Fel-
allowed a late escape but hung on low senior Ryan Churella contin-
for a crucial 3-2 victory. ued his dream season with a 5-1
Bonus points proved vital for decision to close out the regular
the Wolverines down the stretch. season with 22-0 record.
In the 141-pound match, redshirt Michigan defeated six
sophomore Josh Churella claimed ranked opponents in the Big
a four-point major decision with a Ten on their way to a perfect
13-5 win. Later, in the 165-pound conference season.
bout, senior Ryan Churella wres- "The Big Ten Conference is the
tIled aggressively, forcing Gopher toughest conference in the coun-
Matt Nagel to commit five stall- try," McFarland said. "For our
ing violations. Nagel's delays guys to be able to do this through-
resulted in a disqualification and out the course of the season says a
six Michigan points. In all, the lot about their character."
Wolverines grabbed four bonus The Wolverines will travel to
points on their way to a victory Bloomington for the Big Ten tour-
by the same amount. nament on March 4-5.
Irprising given his
me put his goals-
d his save percent-
job ... that he's
th Dakota coach
rock solid back
there. He's been very good over the course of his
career here at North Dakota."
Coming into Friday's matchup with the Fight-
ing Sioux, the Wolverines knew they would have
to combat a hostile road environment, a team with
equal, if not more talent and a good starting goal-
ie. All three delivered, but Parise's performance
stuck out above the rest.
"He played well," Kolarik said. "He stood on his
head.... He definitely played an unbelievable game."