Minnesota dominates Purdue for fifth straight win

MINNEAPOLIS -- No. 11 Minnesota (10-2, 5-2 B1G) notched its fifth straight conference win as the Golden Gophers dominated Purdue (4-8, 1-5) Sunday afternoon in West Lafayette, Ind., 36-6.

The Gophers won 8 of 10 matches Sunday, including seven by bonus points, five of which were tech falls. In total, Minnesota scored 130 points in the match to just 32 for the Boilermakers, while 28 of the 31 takedowns in the dual were recorded by Gophers.

Minnesota has won 13 of the last 14 matchups in the series dating to the 2004-05 season, and in West Lafayette, it is now 17-4 all-time against Purdue. The 17 road wins are tied for the most for Minnesota against one school, matching the 17 it has against Indiana.

Over the five-match winning streak, Minnesota has outscored opponents 153-36.

Sunday's match started at 174 pounds and senior Andrew Sparks got the dual started off on the right note for Minnesota as he notched his first ranked win of the season. Facing No. 32 Brody Baumann, Sparks scored takedowns in each period en route to an 11-1 major decision, his second such result of the season.

A stretch of three straight tech fall wins for Minnesota began at 184 pounds as No. 5 Isaiah Salazar shut out James Rowley, 15-0. Salazar used a takedown and four nearfall points to lead 7-0 after one period. Leading 8-0 after two, Salazar picked up six points in the final period plus three minutes of riding time for his second straight shutout and sixth of the season.

No. 20 Garrett Joles made it two in a row when he stopped Ben Vanadia at the 5:35 mark by a score of 18-3. Up 6-1 after one, Joles used a takedown and four nearfall points to put the match away. The win was his fourth tech fall of the season and his win streak sits at five.

Bennett Tabor's 19-2 tech fall (4:21) over Mitch Hutmacher was the first of his career. Only up 4-1 through the first period, the 30th-ranked Tabor poured it on in the second for his fourth straight win. He followed his first takedown of the period with three nearfall points and then added four nearfall points after a second takedown in the frame.

Purdue got its first win at 125 pounds when No. 1 Matt Ramos topped No. 12 Patrick McKee, 4-1. A second-period takedown for Ramos proved to be the difference.

At 133 pounds, sixth-year senior Jake Gliva made his season dual debut in a 15-3 major decision over Dustin Norris. In recording his fifth major decision of the season, Gliva scored 12 of his 15 pounds in the third period behind a pair of takedowns and four nearfall points.

No. 20 Vance VomBaur recorded the fourth tech fall of the day for Minnesota in a 17-2 (6:00) win against Christian White at 141 pounds. Up 3-1 through one period, VomBaur made it a 14-2 edge after a dominant second period that included a pair of takedowns and three nearfall points.

The fifth and final tech fall win of the day belonged to No. 17 Drew Roberts at 149 pounds. He topped Jaden Reynolds, 19-4 (5:33) for his sixth tech fall of the season. Roberts had two takedowns in each period.

The second ranked matchup of the day came at 157 pounds between No. 5 Michael Blockhus and No. 20 Joey Blaze. Like he's done all season, Blockhus came away victorious in a ranked contest as he dispatched Blaze, 6-3. Down 1-0 after two periods, Blockhus started down and escaped to tie things up before recording the lone takedown of the match with less than a minute to go to improve to 6-0 this season against ranked opponents and 7-0 in the Big Ten. It was his ninth straight victory.

Purdue claimed the final matchup of the day as No. 32 Stoney Buell defeated No. 27 Blaine Brenner, 10-9, at 165 pounds.

Minnesota returns home next Friday to host Wisconsin in its regular season finale. Match time is set for 8 p.m. on Big Ten Network.

Results:
174Andrew Sparks MD #32 Brody Baumann (PU), 11-1 | MINN 4, PU 0
184 #5 Isaiah Salazar TF James Rowley (PU), 15-0 7:00 | MINN 9, PU 0
197 #20 Garrett Joles TF Ben Vanadia (PU), 18-3 5:35 | MINN 14, PU 0
285 #30 Bennett Tabor TF Mitch Hutmacher (PU), 19-2 4:21 | MINN 19, PU 0
125 #1 Matt Ramos (PU) dec. #12 Patrick McKee, 4-1 | MINN 19, PU 3
133Jake Gliva MD Dustin Norris (PU), 15-3 | MINN 23, PU 3
141 #20 Vance VomBaur TF Christian White (PU), 17-2 6:00 | MINN 28, PU 3
149 #17 Drew Roberts TF Jaden Reynolds (PU), 19-4 5:33 | MINN 33, PU 3
157 #4 Michael Blockhus dec. #20 Joey Blaze, 6-3 | MINN 36, PU 3
165 #32 Stoney Buell (PU) dec. #27 Blaine Brenner, 10-9 | MINN 36, PU 6