The Old Gold & Black jumped out to a 7-0 lead thanks to Aaron Assad and Sabatello. An escape and two penalty points, all in the third period, pushed Assad past Mitch Rogaliner, 3-1, in the first contest of the dual at 125 pounds.
Sabatello followed with the fifth major decision of his redshirt junior campaign, blanking Garth Yenter, 8-0. The 11th-ranked 133-pounder took Yenter down in each period, escaped in the second and added 3:10 of riding time to move his season mark to 23-5. While winning his third straight, the Long Grove, Ill., native, improved to 15-2 in duals and 6-2 against B1G opponents.
After dropping a decision at 141, Purdue won back-to-back bouts to take a commanding 16-3 lead into the break. Brandon Nelsen's third-period takedown was the difference maker in a 7-6 decision over Nick Trimble at 149 pounds. Nelsen, who hails from Indianapolis, Ind., rallied after trailing in the opening period to take a 5-4 edge in the second with a pair of escapes and a takedown. The win was the second in as many meetings this season with Trimble as Nelsen improved to 3-1 all-time against the Spartan.
"I wrestled him last year and earlier on [this season]," Nelsen said. "It is always real heated between us. You've got to battle through to get it. It was a stressful match, especially at the end of the periods getting a takedown or fending one off; [you really] use your training in situations like this."
Nelsen improved to 19-10 in his final campaign while winning the 80th match of his Boilermaker career.
With just 12 seconds left on the clock in the 157-pound match, No. 11 D. Welch was on his way to a 5-1 decision, but he opted for a more exciting finish by sticking Travis Curley. D. Welch had built his lead thanks to a takedown and a rideout in the opening period and a reversal in the third. His 6:48 fall is the second of the season as the redshirt junior improved to 24-8 and 6-2 in B1G duals.
"Anytime you can pin someone, especially at home in front of a big crowd, it means a lot; it's exciting," D. Welch said. "A pin is the goal in wrestling; it is the highest thing you can get."
Purdue's grapplers continued their winning ways coming out of the break. Pat Robinson registered a 5-3 decision against Roger Wildmo in the redshirt senior's 40th career dual start. The 165-pounder picked up a second-consecutive victory and his 12th win of the season.
Chad Welch followed in the ensuing match at 174 by edging Nick Proctor, 2-0. A second-period rideout was key to the win as riding time and an escape in the third were the only points scored in the bout. C. Welch moved to 18-13 on the season while snapping a four-match losing skid.
The Purdue wrestling team will honor its six seniors while closing out their dual schedule against archrival Indiana in Holloway Gymnasium Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
"I am excited for it already watching some of the other rivalry games in the other sports," Purdue head coach Tony Ersland said. "Our guys are aware of the rivalry, no doubt, and we are pumped for it. It is a short week for us, a quick turnaround for a Friday night dual. We will get back to work tomorrow and really get after them on Friday."
Results:
125 // Aaron Assad (Purdue) dec. Mitch Rogaliner (Michigan State), 3-1
133 // No. 11 Danny Sabatello (Purdue) maj. dec. Garth Yenter (Michigan State), 8-0
141 // Javier Gasca (Michigan State) dec. Nick Lawrence (Purdue), 5-2
149 // Brandon Nelsen (Purdue) dec. Nick Trimble (Michigan State), 7-6
157 // No. 11 Doug Welch (Purdue) pinned Travis Curley (Michigan State), 6:48
165 // Pat Robinson (Purdue) dec. Roger Wildmo (Michigan State), 5-3
174 // Chad Welch (Purdue) dec. Nick Proctor (Michigan State), 2-0
184 // John Rizqallah (Michigan State) dec. Patrick Kissel (Purdue), 6-4
197 // Nick McDiarmid (Michigan State) dec. No. 9 Braden Atwood (Purdue), 6-2
285 // Chris Nash (Michigan State) maj. dec. Gelen Robinson (Purdue), 11-1
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