Indiana University Athletics
HOOSIERS RALLY TO DEFEAT No. 21 PURDUE
2/20/2000 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
HOOSIERS RALLY TO DEFEAT No. 21 PURDUE
West Lafayette, Ind. - The Indiana wrestling team fell behind Purdue 12-0, then took the last seven matches for the 25-12 victory at the Intercollegiate Athletic Facility Sunday afternoon.
The 174-pound match turned out to be the most important of the day. The Hoosiers (15-8, 2-6 Big Ten) had scored four consecutive decisions to tie the meet at 12 as Mingo Morrison began his battle with Purdue's Jon Fitch. The wrestlers were tied at two entering the third period and Fitch held a significant riding time advantage. Fitch started the third period in the down position and quickly escaped for the 3-2 lead. The two stayed neutral until less than one minute remained and Fitch had clinched a point for riding time. Morrison then scored a takedown with about 45 seconds left for the 4-3 advantage, but was unable to keep Moore from escaping for the 4-4 tie. At this point Fitch just tried to run out the clock knowing the advantage time point would give him the victory, but the official called the stalling penalty, awarding Morrison with one point for the 5-4 edge. The advantage time for Fitch at the end of regulation sent the match to overtime tied at five. The fought even until Morrison found an opening 38 seconds into the extra session for the takedown and the 7-5 win.
"It's great for Mingo (Morrison) to get a win like this," said IU head coach Duane Goldman. "He's an incredible worker. It's really nice to see him gain his first Big Ten victory in a dual like this."
IU clinched the dual meet in the following match as freshman Ty Matthews dominated Purdue's Jared Williams 13-1. The major decision gave Indiana an insurmountable 19-12 lead with only the 197 match remaining. That is where eighth-ranked Viktor Sveda mad it a blowout with a pin at 4:18 over Mark Colegrove for the 25-12 final. The pin is Sveda' 11th of the year and 20th of his career. Sveda is now eighth all-time for both season and career pins.
"It's always nice to beat an intrastate rival," said Goldman. "We just knocked off a ranked opponent. This will definitely give us confidence as we spend the next two week preparing for the Big Ten Championships."
The Hoosiers rally began at 141 as senior James Torres decisioned Luis Blanco 13-6. IU senior Tim Myers followed with a 3-1 overtime victory, then 12th-ranked junior Kevin Stanley beat James Leavell 4-1 at 157, and senior Butch Hildebrand knocked off Kirk Moore 6-5 at 165.
"This means a lot to the seniors," Goldman said. " They were very vocal in the locker room before the match. They really wanted this one."
The Hoosiers are off until the Big Ten Championships at Purdue March 4-5.
