Maryland wrestling falls to Purdue & Ohio State in weekend matches

Maryland wrestling dropped its seventh straight dual match this weekend, falling to Purdue and No. 4 Ohio State by a combined 59-18 score.

The Terps faced a setback going into their match against the Boilermakers on Friday as Alfred Bannister, ranked 15th in the 149-pound class, was ruled out with a non-disclosed injury.

The team match was close, as six faceoffs were decided by five points or less. But Purdue was ultimately able to raise its winning streak to seven games, winning 29-6 overall.

A bright spot for the Terps in the match was heavyweight Youssif Hemida, who extended his dual-match win streak to seven in a close 3-1 victory.

The Terps traveled to nearby Good Counsel High School for Sunday’s match against the Buckeyes. The match was organized by Kyle Snyder, a junior at Ohio State who recently won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and a Good Counsel alum.

However, he wasn’t alone. Maryland’s Jhared Simmons and Adam Whitesell also graduated from the school, so the occasion was just as special for the two.

Bannister was yet again ruled out due to injury, so Whitesell wrestled in his place, exceeding expectations. He pinned Blake Riley-Hawkins at 4:29, surprising his hometown crowd and bringing the Terps to their largest lead of the day at 12-8.

Simmons was unable to pick up the victory in the 141-pound class, losing by a 17-6 decision.

The Terps (2-11, 0-6 Big Ten) kept the match close, but still ended up as just another stop in the Buckeyes’ six-match win streak, losing 30-12 overall.

Maryland has a bit of a break before their next match, a home dual meet against Indiana on Feb 3.