Jan. 10, 2008

No. 21 Maryland Beats No. 22 Navy, 21-18

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The No. 21 Maryland wrestling team did what it had not done in 22 years by beating No. 22 Navy in Annapolis, 21-18, in front of a capacity crowd of 1,025 at Halsey Field House. The Terrapins opened with a pair of victories and sophomore Hudson Taylor recorded his 12th pin of the season en route to the win. Maryland, which never trailed in the dual, beat the Midshipmen for the first time since 1997.

The highly-anticipated dual featuring the intrastate nationally ranked opponents started at 157 with freshman Brian Letters taking a 6-2 decision. Letters recorded a pair of takedowns in the first period but Spencer Manley also got loose of his grasp twice for a 4-2 Maryland lead. Manley chose down in the second and recorded the escape 20 seconds in to make it 4-3, but Letters earned an escape, a takedown, and got the bonus point for riding time in the third for the 6-2 win.

Senior Ryan Kennett added to the lead with another Terp decision making it 6-0. Kennett had not wrestled in a dual since November 11, but he battled Matt DeMichiel to a 3-3 tie in the first period. DeMichiel took a 4-3 lead heading into the third with an escape in the second. However, Kennett scored all of the points in the final frame, including a three-point near fall with 10 seconds left to take the 10-4 win.

The biggest match of the night came at 174 pounds with sophomore Mike Letts, ranked No. 7 in the country, facing No. 9 Matt Stolpinski. Letts started out strong, overpowering Stolpinski with four takedowns in the first period and a half to build an 8-5 lead. Stolpinski scored a takedown as time ran out in the second to make it 8-7. Letts started down in the third and escaped quickly to get the lead to two points. The two tussled for positioning and Stolpinksi eventually earned the tying takedown. He then parlayed that into a pin as he caught Letts off guard to tie the dual at 6-6.