EAST LANSING, Mich.—Michigan State wrestling are the winners of six-straight duals, with four Spartans earning bonus point victories on Friday night en route to a 28-12 win over American in the home opener inside Jenison Field House.
The Spartans improve their record to 6-0 while the Eagles drop to 4-5.
American elected to begin at 133-pounds and jumped to an early 6-0 lead with a first period fall at the 1:50 minute mark.
From there it was all Michigan State in the next four matches. Redshirt senior 141-pounder Jordan Hamdan got the Spartans in the win column for the first time of the night with a late third period takedown as he took an 8-4 decision. At the 141-weight class, redshirt freshman Braden Stauffenberg was able to tie the dual following a 5-2 decision to earn his third dual win of the season.
Senior 165-pounder Caleb Fish and 157-pound senior Chase Saldate each claimed bonus point victories to help MSU cruise away from the visiting team. Fish improved to 6-0 in dual matches while earning his fifth shutout match blanking Breon Phifer en route to an 8-0 major decision.
Saldate picked up the only fall of the night for the Spartans. With what looked to be a potential tech fall victory, Saldate cradled American's Devon Capato to his shoulders in the final minute to earn his fifth fall of the year.
American took the 174-pound bout but would drop matches to Michigan State at 184 and 197 pounds, with Layne Malczewski winning by major decision and Kael Wisler following it up with a tech fall performance. At heavyweight, redshirt freshman Josh Terrill would add on to his DI-best win total (22) by winning in a thrilling sudden victory period against Will Jarrell, 6-3.
The night ended with two nationally ranked 125-pounders going head-to-head, with No. 32-ranked redshirt junior Tristan Lujan and No. 16-ranked Jack Maida. Lujan took a 1-0 lead into the third period, but a Maida reversal secured the 2-1 victory for the Eagles.
MSU will have a quick turnaround as they host Ohio University tomorrow, Jan. 6 at 5 p.m.
BOUT-BY-BOUT
Michigan State 28, American 12
ATTENDANCE: 151
133 | Maximillian Leete (AU) fall over Andy Hampton (MSU) 1:50 | AU 6-0
141 | Jordan Hamdan (MSU) dec. Raymond Lopez (AU) 8-4 | AU 6-3
149 | Braden Stauffenberg (MSU) dec. Ethan Szerencsits (AU) 5-2 | Tied 6-6
157 | Chase Saldate (MSU) fall over Devon Capatao (AU) 6:08 | MSU 12-6
165 | Caleb Fish (MSU) major dec. Breon Phifer (AU) 8-0 | MSU 16-6
174 | Lucas White (AU) dec. Marty Larkin (MSU) 3-2 | MSU 16-9
184 | Layne Malczewski (MSU) major dec. Connor Bourne (AU) | MSU 20-9
197 | Kael Wisler (MSU) tech fall over Liam Volk-Klos (AU) 17-2 | MSU 25-9
285 | Josh Terrill (MSU) sudden victory – 1 Will Jarrell (AU) 6-3 | MSU 28-9
125 | Jack Maida (AU) dec. Tristan Lujan (MSU) 2-1 | 28-12
(On a side note, my spouse works at AU, so this was a fun opponent to see on the schedule so to speak)
Match recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.
