Michigan State University
No. 21 Wisconsin
MSU Wrestling Bested By Badgers, 28-7
1/21/2018 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State wrestling rallied against No. 21 Wisconsin but couldn't keep it up on Sunday afternoon at Jenison Field House, falling 28-7. After a thrilling 18-15 win at Indiana on Friday, the Spartans split the weekend and drop to 5-6 overall and 1-4 in conference duals.
"We've got to get better every time we step on the mat. Did we get better from last week against Penn State? Yeah, we got better, but part of being a mature wrestler is being able to get through that first period without giving your opponent a big spot, point-wise," Michigan State head coach Roger Chandler said. "We've got to be ready to wrestle from the first whistle, not build into the match in the fourth and fifth minute. I saw some good things, but when you get dug in a hole too deep in the beginning of the match, it's hard to come back in college wrestling."
The match began at 184 pounds, and the Spartans were in the hole early after the Badgers picked up the first two bouts. Redshirt freshman Christian Rebottaro swung the momentum for MSU, winning his second match of the weekend in a major decision against Ben Stone, 15-4.
"Christian is a student of the sport" Chandler said. "Not only does he have the drive and the conditioning and the physical attributes, but he wants to be good. It's great for him to come back from an injury and get two wins in a row. The sky's the limit for him, and he knows that."
True freshman Rayvon Foley kept it rolling at 125 pounds, claiming a decision over Wisconsin's Johnny Jimenez, 8-4. With the bonus point from Rebottaro's win, the Spartans took the lead at 7-6 after Foley's decision, but the Badgers roared back to finish the match with a 28-7 win.
"Up and down, like I told Logan Ritchie, he's this close right now. I see it happening before my eyes," Chandler added. "He's wrestling some of the best guys in the country the last few days and he's this close to beating them. He's just got to make some small technical adjustments and he's going to be winning those matches. One-point matches go into one-point wins, one-point wins turn into big wins. We've just got to see the process through and stay positive with ourselves."
Michigan State will host No. 2 Ohio State on Friday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. at Jenison Field House. The match will be streamed on BTN Plus.
Bout-By-Bout:
184: No. 9 Ricky Robertson (UW) dec. Shwan Shadaia (MSU), 7-2
Robertson got an early takedown in the first period, taking his 2-0 lead into the second. In the second, Robertson widened his lead to 6-1. Shadaia started down in the third and was able to get the escape point, but Robertson didn't let up and with the riding time point won by decision, 7-2.
197: Hunter Ritter (UW) dec. Nick May (MSU), 6-2
Ritter quickly notched a two-point takedown in the first, and while May was able to get the escape, Ritter got a second takedown to take a 4-1 lead into the second and accumulating riding time. A low-scoring second frame gave Ritter just one more escape point for a 5-1 lead. May secured an escape point in the third, but Ritter also had a riding time advantage and won, 6-2.
285: Christian Rebottaro (MSU) maj. dec. Ben Stone (UW), 15-4
In just his second match back from injury, Rebottaro came out to make a statement, beginning the first period with a huge takedown and four-point nearfall, allowing Stone to escape and ending the stanza with a 6-1 lead. While Stone got two escape points, Rebottaro recorded two takedowns and built a 10-3 lead heading into the third. With two more takedowns for Rebottaro and just one escape for Stone, the Spartan finished with a 15-4 major decision to give MSU the first win of the day.
125: Rayvon Foley (MSU) dec. Johnny Jimenez (UW), 8-4
Jimenez got what appeared to be a takedown early in the first for the Badgers, but the call was reversed after a review. Foley then got the first points of the match with a takedown and later an escape. After stalling, a point was given to Jimenez and the second period ended with a 3-1 lead for Foley. In the final frame, Jimenez recorded a takedown, and Foley fought back with a takedown of his own. With much of the match at the edge of the mat, Foley was awarded a point for stalling from Jimenez. The Badger got one escape point as the clock ticked down, but Foley came out with the 8-4 decision.
133: Jenz Lantz (UW) maj. dec. Matt Santos (MSU), 12-3
Lantz came out firing with a two-point takedown early in the first. Santos cut the lead to 2-1 with an escape, though Lantz added another takedown for a 4-1 lead after one. In the second, Lantz added three more points with an escape and takedown. Though Santos escaped, Lantz recorded yet another takedown and took a 9-2 lead after two periods. Lantz tacked on three more points for a 12-3 major decision.
141: Eli Stickley (UW) dec. Javier Gasca, 6-2
In a rematch from the Michigan State Open, Gasca and Stickley battled it out through two periods without a score, though Stickley took the riding time advantage. Things got going in the third for Stickley as he recorded a takedown and four-point nearfall for a 6-0 lead. Gasca fought back with a reversal, and brought down Stickley's riding time but the Badger slipped by with the 6-2 decision.
149: Cole Martin (UW) maj. dec. Jwan Britton (MSU), 13-5
Britton scored early in the first period on a takedown but Martin responded with an escape and takedown to take the 3-2 lead. Britton escaped but Martin recorded another takedown to lead 5-3 after the one. Britton added an escape point in the second to come within one point of Martin's advantage. Martin jumped out to a 13-5 lead in the third period, winning in a major decision.
157: Andrew Crone (UW) dec. Jake Tucker (MSU), 7-0
Crone scored six points in the first off a takedown and near fall, holding onto his lead through the remaining two periods and keeping his riding time advantage to defeat Tucker in a 7-0 decision.
165: No. 6 Evan Wick (UW) tech. fall Austin Hiles (MSU), 19-4
Wick began the first with a two-point takedown, and in the second, jumped out to a 6-2 lead with three more takedowns though Hiles got three escape points. Wick notched two four-point near falls, and while Hiles got another escape point, Wick got one last takedown to take a technical fall, 19-4.
174: Ryan Christensen (UW) dec. Logan Ritchie (MSU), 3-1
After a scoreless first frame, Christensen got the first point on the board with an escape in the second. Late in the third, Ritchie tied up the match with an escape, but Christensen scored a takedown at the very end of the period to win a hard-fought bout, 3-1.
Wisconsin 28, Michigan State 7
125: Rayvon Foley (MSU) dec. Johnny Jimenez (UW), 8-4. MSU leads, 7-6.
133: Jens Lantz (UW) maj. dec. Matt Santos (MSU), 12-3. UW leads, 10-7.
141: Eli Stickley (UW) dec. Javier Gasca (MSU), 6-2. UW leads, 13-7.
149: Cole Martin (UW) maj. dec. Jwan Britton (MSU), 13-5. UW leads, 17-7.
157: Andrew Crone (UW) dec. Jake Tucker (MSU), 7-0. UW leads, 20-7.
165: No. 6 Evan Wick (UW) tech. fall Austin Hiles, 19-4. UW leads, 25-7.
174: Ryan Christensen (UW) dec. Logan Ritchie (MSU), 3-1. UW wins, 28-7.
184: No. 9 Ricky Robertson (UW) dec. Shwan Shadaia (MSU), 7-2. UW leads, 3-0.
197: Hunter Ritter (UW) dec. Nick May (MSU), 6-2. UW leads, 6-0.
HWT: Christian Rebottaro (MSU) maj. dec. Ben Stone (UW), 15-4. UW leads, 6-4.
Attendance: 756
Players Mentioned
