Fourth-ranked Buckeyes score 23-15 road win over No. 17 Wisconsin

Ohio State 149-pounder Micah Jordan won 8-2 over Wisconsin's Andrew Crone. Photo: Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com

MADISON, Wisc. - Fourth-ranked Ohio State won six of 10 matches and kicked off the 2017 calendar year with a 23-15 win over No. 17 Wisconsin on Friday night at the UW Field House in Madison. With the victory, the Buckeyes stay unbeaten on the year at 6-0 and also improve to 2-0 in the Big Ten.

THE SHORT STORY

Key bonus point wins came from the foursome of Bo Jordan, Myles Martin, Kollin Moore and Nathan Tomasello while true freshman Luke Pletcher picked up a key 8-4 decision over 14th-ranked Cole Martin at 141 pounds that gave Ohio State all the distance it would need in the team score. After falling behind 3-0 to start the dual, Ohio State won the next three matches - all by bonus points - to surge ahead 13-3.

JORDAN GETS THE SCARLET AND GRAY GOING

Redshirt sophomore Cody Burcher fought third-ranked Isaac Jordan tough but lost 4-1 at 165 pounds to open the dual, but Isaac's cousin, Bo, responded with a third period flurry to resulted in a 15-7 major decision at 174 pounds over Ryan Christensen. Jordan scored a reversal and three takedowns while tacking on riding time for the bonus points.

MARTIN, MOORE LOOK SHARP

Martin returned to his usual form at 184 pounds, scoring 12 first-period points (three takedowns, one reversal, one four-point near fall) and then eight more in the second before finishing off the 22-6 technical fall early in third period. Martin improved his record to 18-3 on the year.


In the only match of the night that featured two ranked wrestlers, Moore, No. 5 nationally, beat 13th-ranked Ricky Robertson 12-3. It was Moore's second win over Robertson this year. The redshirt freshman broke open a close match in the third period with a takedown and four point near fall while also adding 1:18 of riding time.

TOMASELLO WINS BIG, PLETCHER CLINCHES DUAL

Wisconsin picked up wins at 285 and 125 pounds to cut Ohio State's lead to 13-12, but second-ranked Tomasello scored early and often against Michael Cullen at 133 pounds and picked up an 18-5 major decision to make the score 17-12. Tomasello led 8-2 after the first period and then tacked on three more points in the second to extend his lead to 11-3.


The Buckeyes' biggest win of the night occurred at 141 pounds when Pletcher, unranked in some services, toppled 14th-ranked Cole Martin, 8-4, giving Ohio State a commanding 20-12 lead in the dual. For Pletcher (18-2), it was his second win this year over a top 20 opponent. He fell behind 2-0 in the first but escaped and got two takedowns before the first period was over. Ahead 5-4 in the second, he took Martin down, rode him out for the remainder of the period and then escaped to start the third.


Micah Jordan was the sixth and final Buckeye to earn a win on the evening, as he improved to 20-0 with an 8-2 decision over Andrew Crone. Jordan took Crone down three times, scored an escape point and also totaled well over 1:00 of riding time to stay unbeaten on the year.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Buckeyes return to action on Sunday, Jan. 8, when they host No. 11 Rutgers (7-1, 2-0) inside St. John Arena at noon. The dual will be televised live on BTN and tickets can be purchased by clicking here. Rutgers defeated No. 12 Illinois on Friday, 19-17.


OHIO STATE WRESTLING

No. 4 Ohio State 23, No. 17 Wisconsin 15 | UW Field House | Madison, Wisc.

Ohio State: 6-0, 2-0; Wisconsin: 3-1, 1-1

165: #3 Isaac Jordan (UW) decision over Cody Burcher 4-1 | UW 3, OSU 0

174: #1 Bo Jordan (OSU) major decision over Ryan Christensen (UW) 15-7 | OSU 4, UW 3

184: #10 Myles Martin technical fall over Jacob Stilling 22-6 | OSU 9, UW 3

197: #5 Kollin Moore (OSU) major decision over #13 Ricky Robertson (UW) 12-3 | OSU 13, UW 3

HWT: #2 Conner Medbery (UW) technical fall over Josh Fox 15-0 | OSU 13, UW 8

125: Johnny Jimenez (UW) major decision over #9 Jose Rodriguez 14-2 | OSU 13, UW 12

133: #2 Nathan Tomasello (OSU) major decision over Michael Cullen (UW) 18-5 | OSU 17, UW 12

141: Luke Pletcher (OSU) decision over #14 Cole Martin (UW) 8-4 | OSU 20, UW 12

149: #5 Micah Jordan (OSU) decision over Andrew Crone (UW) 8-2 | OSU 23, UW 12

157: TJ Ruschell (UW) decision over Jake Ryan (OSU) 6-2 | OSU 23, UW 15