No. 5 Ohio State Downs No. 13 Michigan, 25-15

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Four bonus-point victories, including each of the first three matches, lifted the fifth-ranked Ohio State wrestling team (7-3, 3-1) to a 25-15 victory over 13th-ranked Michigan (3-3, 1-2) in front of a sellout crowd at Cliff Keen Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The match started at 125 pounds where seventh-ranked Nathan Tomasello scored a major decision victory over Conor Youtsey, 16-7, with a critical takedown late in the third period that secured the bonus points for Ohio State. Tomasello also racked over a minute and a half of riding time. Tomasello, who also had a technical fall on Friday at Michigan State, is now 17-4 on the season.

At 133 pounds, redshirt junior Johnni DiJulius returned to lineup after missing Friday’s match at Michigan State and showed no rust, rolling to a 17-2 technical fall over Zebulon Hilyard. DiJulius led 9-2 at the end of the first period that then secured the technical fall with an escape, a takedown and five near-fall points in the second period.

Redshirt senior Logan Stieber continued his dominance at 141 pounds, needing just 1:31 to pin Michigan’s George Fisher. It is Stieber’s seventh pin of the season, (second of the weekend), improved his season record to 15-0 and also gave Ohio State a 15-0 lead in the match.

Michigan was able to get onto the scoreboard in the next match, 149 pounds, as 11th-ranked Alec Pantaleo earned a 8-2 decision over Randy Languis. At 157 pounds, Josh Demas lost a hard-fought decision to Brian Murphy, who had a takedown late in the third period to pull away for a 5-2 decision. Murphy’s win avenged a loss to Demas in the finals on the Michigan State Open earlier in the season.

After a 10 minute intermission, Bo Jordan put the momentum back in Ohio State’s favor with a 2-0 decision over 10th-ranked Tyler Massa with an escape to start the third period and over a minute and a half of riding time. With the win, Jordan was able to improve his season record to 9-0. It also marked his second win this season over Massa (first one coming in the finals of the Michigan State Open).

Mark Martin returned to the lineup at 174 pounds after missing the last two minutes and took control over Jeff Holm in the second period, scoring seven points on an escape and two near-falls. He then had an escape and takedown in the third period, while also racking up 1:32 in riding time, to score the 11-2 major decision, giving the Buckeyes a 22-6 lead in the match.

Kenny Courts dropped a 6-2 decision to 10th-ranked Dominic Abounader at 184 pounds when Abounader scored a takedown in both the second and third period and over a minute in riding time. True freshman Kyle Snyder, ranked fifth nationally, got Ohio State back on the scoreboard by earning a 5-2 decision over eighth-ranked Max Huntley thanks to a third-period takedown. The win by Snyder, now 17-2 on the year, gave Ohio State a 25-9 lead.

The match ended at 285 pounds with a fall for Michigan’s Adam Coon over Ray Gordon.

Ohio State returns to action on Friday, Jan. 23 when it hosts Indiana at Norwalk High School. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m.

Ohio State Wrestling
No. 5 Ohio State 25, No. 13 Michigan 15
Records: Ohio State 7-3, 3-1 B1G | Michigan 3-3, 1-2 B1G
January 18, 2015

125: #7 Nathan Tomasello (OSU) major decision over Conor Youtsey (U-M) 17-6 | OSU 4, U-M 0
133: #8 Johnni DiJulius (OSU) won by technical fall over Zebulon Hilyard (U-M) 17-2 | OSU 9, U-M 0
141: #1 Logan Stieber (OSU) won by fall over George Fisher (U-M) 1:31 | OSU 15, U-M 0
149: #11 Alec Pantaleo (U-M) won by decision over Randy Languis (OSU) 8-2 | OSU 15, U-M 3
157: Brian Murphy (U-M) won by decision over #6 Josh Demas (OSU) 5-2 | OSU 15, U-M 6
165: #6 Bo Jordan (OSU) won by decision over #10 Taylor Massa (U-M) 2-0 | OSU 18, U-M 6
174: #12 Mark Martin (OSU) major decision over Jeff Holm (U-M) 11-2 | OSU 22, U-M 6
184: #10 Dominic Abounader (U-M) won by decision over #12 Kenny Courts (OSU) 6-2 | OSU 22, U-M 9
197: #5 Kyle Snyder (OSU) won by decision over #8 Max Huntley (U-M) 5-2 | OSU 25, U-M 9
285: #8 Adam Coon (U-M) won by fall over Ray Gordon (OSU) 1:22 | OSU 25, U-M 15