No. 29 Indiana Uses Late Surge to Beat No. 21 Maryland

Sunday, January 21

Bloomington, Ind.

2:00 PM

Indiana University

#21 Maryland

BLOOMINGTON, IN - January 21, 2024 - Nick Willham during the meet between the Maryland Terrapins and the Indiana Hoosiers at Wilkinson Hall in Bloomington, IN. Photo By Sammy Nance/Indiana Athletics

No. 29 Indiana Uses Late Surge to Beat No. 21 Maryland

1/21/2024 5:51:00 PM | Wrestling

Results (PDF)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ––– In an intense and tightly contested dual, No. 29 Indiana found a way late in the match to secure a 21-15 win over No. 21 Maryland on Sunday afternoon in Wilkinson Hall.

Despite trailing 12-4 after four matches, Indiana won five of the last six bouts to take the win.

Indiana opened the dual with Michael Spangler (125) scoring on four takedowns in a 15-3 major decision win over Maryland's Tommy Capul to put IU up 4-0. After that, Maryland won three consecutive bouts to take a 12-4 lead.

No. 20 Brayton Lee got the Hoosiers back in striking distance with a 15-4 win by major decision over No. 30 Michael North to cut into the deficit, 12-8. Then, No. 22 Tyler Lillard and No. 20 DJ Washington each took decision victories to put Indiana back in front, 14-12.

Redshirt sophomore Roman Rogotzke (184) added on to the lead with his 13-3 major decision win over Chase Mielnik. Maryland picked up a very close win at 197 lbs. with No. 5 Jaxon Smith (197) winning in Sudden Victory, 4-1, over Gabe Sollars. The Maryland victory at 197 lbs. put the Terrapins in position, trailing only 18-15.

Indiana graduate student and heavyweight Nick Willham faced off with No. 23 Seth Nevills in the dual's final bout to determine the winner.

Two periods in, and the match was tied at 1-1. Willham worked to his offense with consistent forward movement in the final period, eventually shooting, and scoring, on a takedown with about 50 seconds left in the bout.

Willham would hold on for a 4-2 win by decision and gave IU the 21-15 team victory.

With the win, Indiana's record moves to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten.

NOTABLES
• Lee and Willham each picked up wins over ranked opponents.
• Lee's match was his first in Wilkinson Hall competing as a Hoosier.
• Spangler and Rogotzke picked up their first career Big Ten dual victories.
• Indiana won six of the ten bouts.
• Indiana is undefeated in home duals this year at 3-0.
• Indiana is 8-0 in program history against Maryland.

UP NEXT
• Indiana will stay in Bloomington to host rival Purdue next weekend for a Saturday at 7 p.m. in Wilkinson Hall.

FULL RESULTS
125: Michael Spangler (IU) def. Tommy Capul (UMD)                  |MD, 15-3 |               Score: IU up 4-0

133: No. 21 Braxton Brown (UMD) def. Cayden Rooks (IU)          |TF, 18-3 (2:19)|       Score: UMD up 5-4

141: No. 14 Kal Miller (UMD) def. No. 22 Dan Fongaro (IU)          |Dec. 5-2 |                 Score: UMD up 8-4

149: No. 17 Ethen Miller (UMD) def. No. 14 Graham Rooks (IU)   |MD, 12-1 |            Score: UMD up 12-4

157: No. 20 Brayton Lee (IU) def. No. 30 Michael North (UMD)   |MD, 15-4 |            Score: UMD up 12-8

165: No. 22 Tyler Lillard (IU) def. AJ Rodrigues (UMD)                 |Dec. 7-3 |            Score: UMD up 12-11

174: No. 12 DJ Washington (IU) vs. Dom Solis (UMD)                  |Dec. 4-1|              Score: IU up 14-12

184: Roman Rogotzke (IU) def. Chase Mielnik (UMD)                  |MD, 13-3 |          Score: IU up 18-12

197: No. 5 Jaxon Smith (UMD) def. Gabe Sollars (IU)                   |SV-1, 4-1 |         Score: IU up 18-15

285: Nick Willham (IU) def. No. 23 Seth Nevills (UMD)                |Dec. 4-2 |        Score: IU up 21-15

FINAL TEAM SCORE: NO. 29 INDIANA 21, NO. 21 MARYLAND 15