Cowboy Wrestling Downed By No. 12 Virginia Tech, 18-16
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The No. 2 Oklahoma State wrestling team was upset by No. 12 Virginia Tech in the second round at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals at the UNI Dome on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa.
The Hokies picked up a trio of upset wins to claim the victory, as No. 11 Jarrod Garnett of Virginia Tech claimed a 3-2 win over No. 8 Jon Morrison at 125 pounds, No. 15 Brian Stephens picked up a 5-4 win over No. 5 Jamal Parks at 149 pounds and unranked Matt Epperly pinned No. 16 Mike Benefiel at 174 pounds.
Overshadowed by the loss was the fact that Oklahoma State true freshman 141-pounder Josh Kindig had his redshirt pulled and he responded by dropping No. 6 Chris Diaz by a comfortable 7-4 margin in his first varsity bout.
No. 12 Virginia Tech 18, No. 2 Oklahoma State 16
125: No. 11 Jarrod Garnett (VT) dec. No. 8 Jon Morrison (OSU); 3-2
133: No. 1 Jordan Oliver (OSU) MD No. 7 Devin Carter (VT); 10-2
141: Josh Kindig (OSU) dec. No. 6 Chris Diaz (VT); 7-4
149: No. 15 Brian Stephens (VT) dec. No. 5 Jamal Parks (OSU); 5-4
157: No. 5 Jesse Dong (VT) dec. No. 14 Neil Erisman (OSU); 5-0
165: No. 16 Dallas Bailey (OSU) dec. Pete Yates (VT); 10-6
174: Matt Epperly (VT) fall No. 16 Mike Benefiel (OSU); 4:12
184: No. 10 Chris Perry (OSU) dec. No. 19 Tommy Spellman (VT); 4-2
197: No. 4 Clayton Foster (OSU) dec. Chris Penny (VT); 12-5
285: David Marone (VT) dec. Blake Rosholt (OSU); 10-4
Bout Recaps
125: No. 11 Jarrod Garnett (VT) dec. No. 8 Jon Morrison (OSU); 3-2
Eighth-ranked Cowboy freshman Jon Morrison lost a 3-2 decision to No. 11 Jarrod Garnett to start the dual. After a scoreless first period, Morrison escaped to start the second period. Garnett took the lead with a single-leg takedown later in the period. Morrison escaped to bring the score to 2-2 after two periods. Garnett started the third on bottom and escaped quickly to regain the lead at 3-2. That escape capped the scoring and gave Garnett the upset victory.
133: No. 1 Jordan Oliver (OSU) MD No. 7 Devin Carter (VT); 10-2
Top-ranked Jordan Oliver scored two takedowns in the final 18 seconds of the bout to earn a major decision win over No. 7 Devin Carter. As has been his style all season, Oliver struck immediately, bagging a takedown and turning it into a two-point nearfall in the early moments of the first period. He nearly turned Carter to his back on two other occasions during the first period, but Carter fought him off and settled for the rideout. Oliver started the second period in the down position and escaped immediately to move his lead to 5-0. The third period started with Oliver on top and he built up some more riding time before cutting Carter loose. Oliver then caught fire and bagged two takedowns in the final 18 seconds to extend his lead to 9-2. When Oliver’s 2:11 of riding time was added, he was a 10-2 major decision winner over a top-10 opponent.
141: Josh Kindig (OSU) dec. No. 6 Chris Diaz (VT); 7-4
The redshirt came off true freshman Josh Kindig, and he made the Oklahoma State coaches look good for making that decision when he claimed a 7-4 win over sixth-ranked returning All-American Chris Diaz. Kindig was taken down early, but after a quick escape, he responded with a takedown of his own to take a 3-2 lead. Diaz escaped just before the clock hit zeroes to tie the score at 3-3. Kindig’s quick escape to start the second period was the only point of that stanza. With Kindig in the top position to start the third, he added to his riding time advantage before Diaz worked free for the escape. Diaz came after Kindig late in the period, but the true freshman kept his composure and locked Diaz in a bearhug to score a takedown of his own. When Kindig’s 1:30 of riding time was added on, he was a 7-4 winner.
149: No. 15 Brian Stephens (VT) dec. No. 5 Jamal Parks (OSU); 5-4
A third-period stalling call was the difference in No. 15 Brian Stephens’ 5-4 win over No. 5 Jamal Parks. Parks got on the board first with a takedown in the first period. Stephens escaped to bring the score to 2-1. A Stephens escape was the only scoring of the second period, and Parks took his lead to 3-2 by escaping to start the third period. Stephens responded with a takedown to seize a 4-3 lead. He cut Parks loose to tie the score at 4-4, then took his lead to 5-4 when Parks was slapped with a stalling call in the final minute of the bout. Parks shot in for a late takedown attempt, but Stephens fought him off to seal his win.
157: No. 5 Jesse Dong (VT) dec. No. 14 Neil Erisman (OSU); 5-0
Fifth-ranked Jesse Dong dominated from the top position in claiming a 5-0 win over Neil Erisman. Dong struck first with a takedown, then he rode Erisman out for the remaining 1:55 of the first period. With Erisman in the top position to start the second period, he suffocated Dong with a punishing full-period ride of his own. With Erisman choosing a neutral start the third period, Dong bagged a quick takedown to extend his lead to 4-0. He then rode Erisman out and added 1:27 of riding time to put the finishing touches on his 5-0 win.
165: No. 16 Dallas Bailey (OSU) dec. Pete Yates (VT); 10-6
Freshman Dallas Bailey improved to 14-1 on the year with a 10-6 win over Pete Yates. Bailey scored an early takedown and nearly pinned Yates, but still ended up with a three-point nearfall out of that sequence to take a 5-0 lead. Yates escaped to cap the first-period scoring. Bailey started the second period in the down position and escaped immediately to extend his lead to 6-1. The third period started with Bailey on top, but he was reversed by Yates immediately before taking an injury timeout. After being checked out, Bailey returned and managed a reversal of his own before yielding an escape to bring the score to 8-4. Bailey then connected on another takedown before being immediately reversed to cap the scoring at 10-6.
174: Matt Epperly (VT) fall No. 16 Mike Benefiel (OSU); 4:12
Virginia Tech took control of the dual when Matt Epperly pinned Mike Benefiel at the 4:12 mark. Benefiel got on the board first with a powerful takedown early in the first period. An Epperly escape capped the scoring for the opening stanza. Benefiel escaped to start the second period, but was then taken down by Epperly to tie the score at 3-3. Epperly then barred Benefiel’s arm, turned him to his back and flattened him out for the pin at the 4:12 mark.
184: No. 10 Chris Perry (OSU) dec. No. 19 Tommy Spellman (VT); 4-2
Chris Perry breathed some life into the Cowboys with a 4-2 win over 19th-ranked Tommy Spellman. Perry connected on a single-leg takedown in the first period before Spellman worked his way free for an escape. Another Spellman escape was the only point of the second period. Perry escaped to start the third period to take a 3-2 lead. Neither wrestler mounted any further offense, and when Perry’s 1:28 riding time was added on, he was a 4-2 winner.
197: No. 4 Clayton Foster (OSU) dec. Chris Penny (VT); 12-5
Clayton Foster put the Cowboys on top by one point in the dual with a 12-5 win over Chris Penny. Foster scored three takedowns in the first period and held a 6-2 lead after the first three minutes. A Penny escape to start the second period brought the score to 6-3. Foster escaped to start the third period and added another takedown to extend his lead to 9-3. An escape by Penny was followed by another Foster takedown. Foster looked to lock in a cradle and secure a bonus-point victory, but Penny broke free for an escape during that sequence. When Foster’s 3:14 of riding time was tacked on, the Cowboy was a 12-5 winner by decision.
285: David Marone (VT) dec. Blake Rosholt (OSU); 10-4
With the added pressure of knowing he had to win his bout for his team to win the dual, freshman Blake Rosholt lost a 10-4 decision to David Marone. Rosholt was taken down in the first period, then escaped. He nearly connected on a takedown of his own late in the period, but Marone avoided the Rosholt bid. Rosholt started the second period in the down position and escaped to tie the score at 2-2. Marone then shot in and scored another takedown to take control of the bout at 4-2. A Rosholt escape capped the second period scoring. Marone escaped quickly enough in the third period to preserve his riding time advantage. That fact forced Rosholt to get overly aggressive and that mindset let to two bad shot attempts and two late takedowns for Marone that sealed the Hokie’s 10-4 win and Virginia Tech’s victory in the dual.
Updated 01-09-2011
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