Dec. 8, 2006

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (www.mgoblue.com) -- The No. 9-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team suffered its first loss of the season, falling to No. 11 Central Michigan 21-12 in U-M's home opener Friday (Dec. 8) in front of 1,444 fans at Cliff Keen Arena. The Wolverines won four bouts during the contest, but could not recover after CMU built an early nine-point advantage with wins in the first three matches.

With U-M trailing by three points entering the final bout, senior/junior heavyweight Omar Maktabi (Iowa City, Iowa/West HS) scored a takedown late in the second period to take control of his match against seventh-ranked Bubba Gritter. After the wrestlers traded escapes, Maktabi still held an one-point advantage until late in regulation when he was hit with his second stalling call. In the waning moments of the match, the Wolverine was caught up in a scramble as Gritter forced him to his back to earn the fall at 6:48 and seal the Chippewa win.

Michigan claimed four of five matches at the middle weights to rally back and knot the score at 15-15. Senior/junior captain Josh Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS) initiated the comeback at 149 pounds, using takedowns in the first and second periods to cruise to a 7-3 decision over Brandon Carter. The Chippewa wrestler cut down the deficit with a reversal at the second-period buzzer, but Churella, ranked fourth nationally in the latest NWCA/InterMat poll, maintained his control, adding 1:26 in riding time to claim his sixth straight win.

Senior/junior captain Eric Tannenbaum (Naperville, Ill./North HS) also extended his winning streak and remained a perfect 10-0 on the season with a 4-0 victory over 16th-ranked Trevor Stewart. Tannenbaum earned a full two minutes of riding time in the second period, and then picked up a quick reversal early in the final frame to take the only lead he would need. The Wolverine captain, ranked fifth, converted on a low single leg on a restart late in regulation to lock it up.

U-M claimed back-to-back decision victories in the marquee matches of the evening as junior/sophomore Steve Luke (Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS) and Tyrel Todd (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) knocked off Central Michigan's Brandon and Christian Sinnott, both ranked sixth nationally, at 174 and 184 pounds, respectively. With the 174-pound bout tied at 1-1 through regulation and 2-2 through the first round of tiebreakers, seventh-ranked Luke used a single-leg takedown midway through the second sudden-victory frame to earn the 4-2 upset and end the bout after nine-and-a-half minutes.

Todd, ranked fifth, could not finish on several scoring opportunities throughout his match against Christian Sinnott, but used his 1:25 riding time advantage at the end of regulation to break a deadlocked score and earn a 2-1 decision. Each wrestler earned his escape point, but Todd held the Chippewa wrestler to the mat for most of the second frame, which would prove the deciding factor.

After a quick break for the holidays, the Wolverines will return to the mats for the prestigious Midlands Championships, scheduled for Dec. 29-30, in Evanston, Ill. It will be Michigan's first trip to the Midlands since the 2002-03 season.

125 -- #13 Luke Smith (CMU) dec. Mark Moos, 8-5		CMU, 3-0
133 -- Conor Beebe (CMU) dec. Chris Diehl, 7-3		CMU, 6-0
141 -- Eric Kruger (CMU) dec. Justin Chrzanowski, 7-2		CMU, 9-0
149 -- #4 Josh Churella (U-M) dec. Brandon Carter, 7-3		CMU, 9-3
157 -- Eric Neil (CMU) dec. Jeff Marsh, 3-2		CMU, 12-3
165 -- #5 Eric Tannenbaum (U-M) dec. #16 Trevor Stewart, 4-0		CMU, 12-6
174 -- #7 Steve Luke (U-M) dec. #6 Brandon Sinnott, 4-2 SV2		CMU, 12-9
184 -- #5 Tyrel Todd (U-M) dec. #6 Christian Sinnott, 2-1		Tie, 12-12
197 -- #8 Wynn Michalak (CMU) dec. #12 Nick Roy, 4-1		CMU, 15-12
Hwt -- #7 Bubba Gritter (CMU) pinned Omar Maktabi, 6:48		CMU, 21-12