UI Athletics news release
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The seventh-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team defeated No. 10 Michigan, 19–17, on Friday night on Mediacom Mat at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Iowa and Michigan split the matches 5–5, but Iowa got technical falls at 133 and 165 pounds, which proved to be the difference.
“It is important to the team,” said head coach Tom Brands. “Those are five-point wins, each of them. There was never a question like, oh, I’m going to feel it out and see if this guy is going to crack or not. It was foot on the gas, smart wrestling, foot on the gas. They just went out and got the tech fall.”
The Hawkeyes had 18 takedowns to Michigan’s 10 and outscored the Wolverines in total match points, 67–58.
With the dual starting at 141 pounds, Kael Petersen was first on the mat for the Hawkeyes, dropping an 11–2 major decision to No. 26 Dylan Ragusin, who used a cradle to secure a takedown in the final 10 seconds and earn bonus points for the Wolverines.
Michigan then extended its lead with an 8–3 decision from No. 15 Lachlan McNeil over No. 19 Ryder Block. Trailing 4–0 in the third period, Block got a takedown with just over a minute left, but a takedown by McNeil with three seconds remaining clinched the bout for the Wolverine.
At 157 pounds, No. 13 Cameron Catrabone made it three straight victories for the Wolverines with a takedown with 32 seconds left in the bout to overcome a 3–2 lead from No. 14 Jordan Williams.
No. 3 Michael Caliendo went out in style in his final Carver match as a Hawkeye, using seven takedowns to notch a 21–6 tech. fall over Justin Gates at 165 pounds to get Iowa on the board and cut Michigan’s lead in half.
Michigan won a 6–3 decision in sudden victory at 174 pounds to close out the first half of the dual. A late third-period takedown from No. 11 Beau Mantanona gave him the lead over third-ranked Patrick Kennedy before a stall call made it 3–3 and sent things to overtime, where a takedown after a scramble gave Mantanona the victory.
A second straight match went to overtime as Gabe Arnold defeated No. 7 Brock Mantanona, 3–2, in tiebreakers with 10 seconds of riding time at 184 pounds.
True freshman Harvey Ludington picked up the win for the Hawkeyes at 197 pounds — his first at Carver — defeating No. 19 Hayden Walters, 6–4.
“It was awesome,” said Ludington of the crowd. “I’ve never felt anything like that. Obviously, in high school in Jersey you have a big arena for state and stuff, but nothing like Carver. Hearing everyone yelling as one big noise is awesome.”
Michigan pushed its lead to six with a win at heavyweight, as fifth-ranked Taye Ghadiali defeated No. 8 Ben Kueter via major decision, 10–0.
The dual came down to the final two matches. Trailing by six, Iowa picked up a big win in sudden victory at 125 pounds as No. 6 Dean Peterson secured a takedown to defeat No. 27 Diego Sotelo, 4–1, keeping the Hawkeyes alive.
Needing bonus points, No. 8 Drake Ayala put a cap on his Carver career with a 21–5 technical fall over Gauge Botero at 133 pounds. Ayala used two first-period takedowns before pouring on five more to win the dual for Iowa.
“You have to focus on your match, but then again you’re in the arena; you know what is going on,” Ayala said. “But I knew if I just wrestled my match, I knew what I was capable of. It is a little of both, a little bit staying in your match but also having a little more energy than normal.”
#7 Iowa 19, #10 Michigan 17
141 – #26 Dylan Ragusin (M) major dec. Kale Petersen (I), 11-2
149 – #15 Lachlan McNeil (M) dec. #19 Ryder Block (I), 8-3
157 – #13 Cameron Catrabone (M) dec. #14 Jordan Williams (I), 5-4
165 – #3 Michael Caliendo (I) tech. fall Justin Gates (M), 21-6
174 – #11 Beau Mantanona (M) dec. #3 Patrick Kennedy (I), 6-3 SV1
184 – Gabe Arnold (I) vs. #7 Brock Mantanona (M), 3-2 TB1
197 – Harvey Ludington (I) dec. #19 Hayden Walters (M), 6-4
285 – #5 Taye Ghadiali (M) major dec. #8 Ben Kueter (I), 10-0
125 – #6 Dean Peterson (I) dec. #27 Diego Sotelo (M), 4-1 SV1
133 – #8 Drake Ayala (I) tech. fall Gauge Botero, 21-5
Officials: Matt Sorochinsky, Michael Frederiksen
Attendance: 11,483