University of Minnesota Athletics
Wrestling Wins Fourth Straight, Tops Purdue
1/31/2010 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
After a tough test against Wisconsin two nights ago, the University of Minnesota wrestling team was challenged with another top-25 opponent in Purdue.
Today (Jan. 31) was also the Minnesota Wrestling Endowment Meet meaning all ticket revenue from the 3,107 fans that packet the Sports Pavilion stands will go directly to Golden Gopher Wrestling Scholarships.
The fans who came out in support of the team and the program were treated to a dominating 30-9 win, with Minnesota (9-4, 4-0) opening up a 14-0 lead before Purdue (10-7, 1-3) won their first match.
On the way to the 14-0 lead, the Gophers started the match with wins at 157 and 165, before a forfeit at 174. Dustin Schlatter (Massillion, Ohio) and Cody Yohn (Alamosa, Colo.) started the meet with back-to-back 11-1 major decisions. For Schlatter it was his second match at 157 and for Yohn, his fourth at 165. In similar matches all-around, each scored early with first period takedowns and near falls. Schlatter improves to 10-1 on the season, and has won 10 straight.
After the Gophers first loss at 184, Sonny Yohn (Alamosa, Colo.) bounced back after a heartbreaking loss on Friday versus against Wisconsin to defeat No. 11 ranked Logan Brown. No. 14 ranked Yohn, led the close match 4-1 entering the third period, but a Brown takedown cut the lead to 4-3. Yohn was able to recover and score an escape for the 5-3 final.
In the shortest match of the night, heavyweight Ben Berhow (Hayward, Minn.) notched a first period fall. Before the two minute mark in the first period Berhow pinned Purdue's Adam Walls for his first fall since the Southern Scuffle. It was his second fasted pin of the season for Berhow, who won his third straight. After Berhow's match, the Gophers held a 23-3 advantage.
After a tough takedown late in the match, sixth-ranked Zach Sanders (Wabasha, Minn.) fought through pain to earn a 10-6 decision at 125. Sanders went down 4-2 in the second period, before coming back to take an 8-4 lead on his way to the win. Sanders has now won four straight and six of his last seven.
With the match in hand late for the Gophers, Purdue scored wins at 133 and 141. Each win came in overtime against Thane Antczak (Prairie Farm, Wis.) and Mike Thorn (St. Michael, Minn.) respectively. Thorn led most of his match, but a pair of late takedowns allowed the 5-3 upset.
In the night's final match, Mario Mason put the stamp on a dominating team effort with an equally impressive 16-4 major decision against Nick Bertucci. No. 18 Mason used back-to-back near falls in the second period to blow open the match. With the victory, the Gophers closed their Endowment Meet win 30-9.
At 4-0 in the Big Ten, the Gophers find themselves in a place they have not been since 2006-07. They will look to stay undefeated next weekend, but must hit the road to Illinois and Indiana to do so. The Gophers face Illinois at 7:00 pm on Feb. 5 and Indiana at 6:30 pm on Feb. 6.
157 Dustin Schlatter (MINN) maj. Colton Salazar (PUR) 11-1 4-0
165 Cody Yohn (MINN) maj. Jason Martin (PUR) 11-1 8-0
174 #8 Scott Glasser (MINN) For - - 14-0
184 Nick Corpe (PUR) dec. Kaleb Young (MINN) 3-2 14-3
197 #14 Sonny Yohn (MINN) dec. #11 Logan Brown (PUR) 5-3 17-3
HWT Ben Berhow (MINN) fall Adam Walls (PUR) 1:59 23-3
125 #6 Zach Sanders (MINN) dec. Cashe Quiroga (PUR) 10-6 26-3
133 Akif Eren (PUR) dec. Thane Antczak (MINN) 2-1SV2 26-6
141 Juan Archuleta (PUR) dec. #4 Mike Thorn (MINN) 5-3SV 26-9
149 #18 Mario Mason (MINN) maj. Nick Bertucci (PUR) 16-4 30-9
Players Mentioned
