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"It's nice to get a big win, and for it to be over Purdue is always good," said Head Coach Duane Goldman. "No matter what the rankings are, it's that inter-state rival which is always big. "
Both teams entered the contest ranked nationally with IU at #18 and Purdue ranked 25th in the country. Defending 125-lbs. national champion and fifth-ranked Angel Escobedo started the night off in a big way for Indiana, notching a first-period pin in the opening match. Escobedo's cousin, Andrae Hernandez added three more points to the team total at 141-lbs., picking up a 7-3 decision. Hernandez trailed in the early goings after giving up an early takedown, but battled back for the win.
At 149-lbs., Nick Walpole came within seconds of upending No. 7 Jake Patacsil. Walpole battled him tough throughout the match, holding a lead for some time before the riding time point proved to be the difference in the 5-4 triumph for Patacsil.
Indiana's other two nationally-ranked grapplers, Kurt Kinser and Trevor Perry, also added tallies in the win column for the Cream and Crimson. Kinser and Perry's wins bookended a victory for Purdue in the 165 pounds match to create a 15-9 IU advantage heading into the eighth bout of the match. Purdue's A.J. Kissel narrowed the gap there with his major decision. However, the Boilermakers were deducted one-point from the team score during the 184-lbs. match because of an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Purdue head coach.
The biggest match of the day came at 197 pounds though, when redshirt freshman Matt Powless upset Purdue's Logan Brown, the 13th ranked wrestler in nation at 197-lbs. Powless, a native of Newburgh, Ind., was stuck in a 1-1 stalemate until a lightning-quick shot resulted in a takedown for the Hoosier with just three seconds left in regulation, sealing a 3-1 decision.
Powless's decision pushed IU ahead 18-12 on the team scoreboard, nearly assuring a Hoosier victory as long as Nate Everhart didn't get pinned in the heavyweight match. Everhart would have none of that anyways as he too picked up a win, defeating Chris Kasten, 3-1.
"Powless came through with the big win," said Goldman. "He is one of the hardest working guys on the team and he really deserved it. It was nice to see his hard work pay off."
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