Michigan State University
Michigan
Spartans Drop First B1G Dual of The Season
1/14/2024 7:03:00 PM | Wrestling
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan State wrestling team kicked off the Big Ten season by taking three matches against in-state rival No. 13 Michigan inside the Crisler Center Arena on Sunday afternoon, falling 29-12.
A loss pushes Michigan State's record to 7-1 overall and 0-1 in Big Ten action while Michigan improves to 3-1 and 1-0 in conference.
Sunday's dual started with the Wolverines taking matches at the 133, 141, and 149 pounds to lead 14-0 early.
The Spartans battled back winning the next two matches in thrilling fashions. Senior 157-pound Chase Saldate kept his day short and simple by pinning Zack Mattin in 1:06 to get MSU on the board. It was Saldate's seventh fall this season, who leads the team with five first period falls.
Senior 165-pound Caleb Fish had the match of the day for Michigan State, defeating No. 5-ranked Cameron Amine in a 6-4 decision. Fish entered the final seconds down, 4-2, but a stalling point was awarded to Fish who quickly spun his way around Amine back into a side headlock for the three-point takedown with three seconds remaining. With his victory, Fish notched his second-straight victory over a Top 10 opponent (defeated Ohio's No. 9-ranked Garrett Thompson in the dual against Ohio).
"With Chase and Caleb, we know how much they mean to this program, they bring a working mentality every time they compete," said Michigan State head coach Roger Chandler following Friday's dual against Michigan. "At the end of the day weather they win or lose, I know our Spartan fans really appreciate that."
Michigan would pick up steam from there taking four of the next five bouts. Graduate 184-pounder Layne Malczewski and redshirt-junior 125-pounder Tristan Lujan each lost decisions that came down to the wire, but last-minute takedowns secured the matches for the Wolverines.
Redshirt freshman 197-pounder Kael Wisler made his Big Ten dual debut earning his third ranked victory of the season by defeating No. 29-ranked Bobby Striggow in a 5-0 decision. Neither wrestler registered a point through the first five minutes of the match in a 0-0 deadlock going into the final period. The New Boston, Michigan, native would get on the board early with an escape then took down Striggow to go up 4-0. Wisler showed top position prowess riding Striggow to nearly two minutes of riding time.
Michigan State will be back at home next weekend when it faces No. 14 Rutgers on Friday, Jan. 19 at 6:30 p.m. and No. 1 Penn State on Sunday, Jan. 21 at 1 p.m. Both duals will be streamed on B1G+.
BOUT-BY-BOUT
Michigan 29, Michigan State 12
133 | Dylan Ragusin (UM) tech fall over Andy Hampton (MSU) 19-4 | Michigan leads 5-0
141 | Sergio Lemley (UM) dec. Jordan Hamdan (MSU) 4-1 | Michigan leads 8-0
149 | Austin Gomez (UM) fall over Braden Stauffenberg (MSU) 1:59 | Michigan leads 14-0
157 | Chase Saldate (MSU) fall over Zack Mattin (UM) 1:06 | Michigan leads 14-6
165 | Caleb Fish (MSU) dec. Cameron Amine (UM) 6-4 | Michigan leads 14-9
174 | Shane Griffith (UM) major dec. DJ Shannon (MSU) 9-1 | Michigan leads 18-9
184 | Jaden Bullock (UM) dec. Layne Malczewski (MSU) 8-4 | Michigan leads 21-9
197 | Kael Wisler (MSU) dec. Bobby Striggow (UM) 5-0 | Michigan leads 21-12
285 | Lucas Davison (UM) tech fall over Josh Terrill (MSU) 19-3 | Michigan leads 26-12
125 | Michael DeAugustino (UM) dec. Tristan Lujan (MSU) 7-3 | Michigan wins 29-12
Players Mentioned
