GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG's wrestling team held an early 12-6 lead on No. 4 Wisconsin, but saw the Badgers win the final six bouts to earn a 34-12 comeback win on Friday in the Spartans' home-opener.
UNCG (0-1) got a 14-8 win from Manny Ramirez over Shane McQuade at 125 to start things off, energizing the crowd of approximately 500 fans that packed into Fleming Gymnasium. Ramirez held a narrow 7-6 lead after the second period but dominated the third, scoring a trio of takedowns and piling up more than two minutes of riding time for the extra point and the 3-0 team lead after one match.
UW (1-0) took a 6-3 lead after the 133-pound bout, as Tyler Graff, ranked No. 3 in the nation in his weight class, pinned UNCG's Jamel Johnson with just five seconds remaining in the opening period.
UNCG countered with six points of its own in the night's third match, with Michael Crowley pinning Danny Arnel at the 4:42 mark at 141 pounds. Crowley held a commanding 10-4 lead prior to the pin and managed to put Arnel away with just 18 seconds left in the second period.
One of the highlights of the evening was the 149-pound bout, which saw UNCG's 17th-ranked Ivan Lopouchanski take a 9-7 decision over No. 16 Cole Schmitt of Wisconsin. The pair locked horns in a back-and-forth match that went down to the wire, but Lopouchanski scored a takedown with about 20 seconds to go to open up a little breathing room. Schmitt picked up a point with an escape in the waning seconds, but Lopouchanski held on for the win.
That was the last match UNCG would win, however, as the Badgers rattled off 28 straight points over the next six bouts.
Shawn Perry got things rolling for Wisconsin at 157, pinning UNCG's Cody Rodebaugh with just 38 seconds left in the third period to tie the match at 12. That contest was a close one, as Perry held just a 4-0 advantage going into the third period.
Defending national champion and top-ranked Andrew Howe picked up another fall at 165, pinning Travis Sheehy at the 6:12 mark to make it 18-12 in Wisconsin's favor. No. 19 Ben Jordan followed with an 8-0 major decision over UNCG's Byron Sigmon at 174.
The 184 match was the second of the evening to feature two ranked wrestlers squaring off, and Wisconsin's 12th-ranked Travis Rutt earned a hard-fought, 8-6 win over No. 16 Andrew Saunders of UNCG. Saunders rallied back from a 7-3 deficit in the third period to make it 7-6, but couldn't complete the comeback.
Second-ranked Trevor Brandvold made it 31-12 in Wisconsin's favor with a pin at 197, getting the fall over UNCG's Caylor Williams at 2:22.
In the evening's final bout, UNCG's Peter Sturgeon gave No. 14 Eric Bugenhagen all he could handle but ultimately fell by a 3-2 score.
"It was a great match," UNCG coach Jason Loukides said. "Our home crowd was great. I was really happy to see that many fans come out to support us. Wisconsin, ranked No. 4 in the country, is a big test for some of our guys, especially a learning experience for the young guys."
UNCG doesn't get much time to recover, as it returns to action Sunday at the ACC Challenge in Chapel Hill, N.C. There, the Spartans will face No. 19 Virginia Tech and the host North Carolina Tar Heels in duals at 1 and 3 p.m., respectively.
AGATE
No. 4 Wisconsin 34, UNCG 12
125: Manny Ramirez (UNCG) dec. Shane McQuade (UW), 14-8
133: No. 3 Tyler Graff (UW) fall Jamel Johnson (UNCG), 2:55
141: Michael Crowley (UNCG) fall Danny Arnel (UW), 4:42
149: No. 17 Ivan Lopouchanski (UNCG) dec. No. 16 Cole Schmitt, 9-7
157: Shawn Perry (UW) fall Cody Rodebaugh (UNCG), 6:22
165: No. 1 Andrew Howe (UW) fall Travis Sheehy (UNCG), 6:12
174: No. 19 Ben Jordan (UW) maj. dec. Byron Sigmon (UNCG), 8-0
184: No. 12 Travis Rutt (UW) dec. No. 16 Andrew Saunders (UNCG), 8-6
197: No. 2 Trevor Brandvold (UW) fall Caylor Williams (UNCG), 2:22
285: No. 14 Eric Bugenhagen (UW) dec. Peter Sturgeon (UNCG), 3-2
- UNCG -
