Wrestling earns first Big Ten victory, defeats Indiana, 21-20

By Jesse O'Brien | Originally Published: 01/15/12 4:42pm |Modified: 01/16/12 8:07pm | No comments

Justin Wan | The State News

Redshirt freshman Nick McDiarmid grapples with Indiana Matt Powless. The Spartan wrestling had their first conference win for the season on Sunday afternoon against the Indiana Hoosiers, 21-20, at Jenison Field House. Justin Wan/The State News

The MSU wrestling team notched its first Big Ten dual victory, 21-20, over Indiana with the help of an unlikely hero.

With the Spartans clinging to a 17-16 lead and two matches left to go, MSU freshman 133-pounder Terry Turner took the mat against Indiana’s Joe Duca for his first ever dual start. Turner and Duca traded points back and forth before heading into overtime, tied 4-4.

About 33 seconds into overtime, Turner took Duca to the mat with a double-leg takedown, notching the sudden victory and giving his team a 20-16 lead.

Although redshirt freshman141-pounder Andrew Ermatinger dropped an 11-2 major decision in the final match of the day, tying it at 20-20, the Spartans (3-4 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) clinched the victory on the tiebreaker after winning six total matches to Indiana’s four.

“It was nice to see the team stick together, stay with it and understand that we can win this dual if we take it all the way to the end,” head coach Tom Minkel said.

“And it took all ten guys,” he added with a smile.

After No. 18 junior 149-pounder Dan Osterman was pinned in the first match of the day, giving Indiana a 6-0 lead, No. 13 senior 157-pounder Anthony Jones, Jr. followed it up with an 18-6 major decision, cutting the Hoosiers’ lead to 6-4. Another major decision from senior 165-pounder David Cheza put the Spartans up 8-4, and from there it was back and forth until the end.

In addition to Turner’s dramatic win, No. 11 sophomore heavyweight Mike McClure also notched a sudden victory, 3-1, 49 seconds into overtime. Seniors 174-pounder Curran Jacobs and 125-pounder Eric Olanowski also recorded individual wins for the Spartans, with Olanowski’s victory coming from a takedown in the final seconds of the third period that gave him the 5-4 edge.

MSU will return to action when it travels for a weekend series in Illinois, facing Northwestern on Friday at 7 p.m. and the Fighting Illini Sunday at 2 p.m.