The University of Iowa wrestling team, ranked seventh nationally, secured a 32-6 victory over Purdue on Sunday at Holloway Gymnasium in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Iowa dominated the match with 20 takedowns compared to Purdue’s three and accumulated 55 match points while Purdue managed 22. The Hawkeyes won eight out of ten bouts during the dual meet.
“We can open some of those up a bit,” said head coach Tom Brands. “Relax and wrestle, free yourself up. When there is a wide gap, you are freer. There are lots of opportunities to widen that gap so I can be freer. When it is tight, don’t wrestle tight. When it’s tight, you just blow it open. It gets easier and easier; it’s not easy, but it gets easier.”
Dean Peterson started for Iowa at 125 pounds with a 9-2 decision over Ashton Jackson. At 133 pounds, Drake Ayala recorded a technical fall against Blake Boarman in under six minutes with a score of 19-4.
Kale Petersen won at 141 pounds after securing a takedown in overtime for a 7-4 sudden-victory decision over Isaiah Schaefer. Ryder Block followed at 149 pounds by defeating Gavin Brown with a late takedown to secure riding time and finish with a 5-0 decision.
Victor Voinovich III continued Iowa’s streak at 157 pounds by beating Stoney Buell 5-0 before intermission.
Purdue scored its first points at 165 pounds when Joey Blaze defeated Michael Caliendo in a top-five matchup by decision, 7-4.
At 174 pounds, Patrick Kennedy earned six team points for Iowa after Aidan Costello was unable to continue due to injury default.
Gabe Arnold added another win for Iowa at 184 pounds with a decision over James Rowley, while Harvey Ludington pinned Noah Weaver in just over four minutes at the 197-pound bout.
Purdue finished the meet on a positive note as Hayden Filipovich won the heavyweight bout against Gage Marty in sudden victory.
Officials Reynaldo Santiago and Bart Welch oversaw the event attended by an audience of 1,210 people.