University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Fall to Cowboys, 21-8
12/5/2009 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Stillwater, Okla. - In a highly touted match of top-five opponents, the No. 5 Minnesota wrestling team dropped a 21-8 decision on the road to No. 3 Oklahoma State this evening (Dec. 4).
Things started promising for Minnesota (1-1) with wins in the first two matches, and in three of the first four as the top of the Gopher line-up took care of business. The tables turned just before intermission, however, as Oklahoma State (2-0-1) began a run of six straight victories to close out the match and secure the win.
Zach Sanders (Wabasha, Minn.) at 125 and Jayson Ness (Bloomington, Minn.) at 133 each earned decisions to open the match and give the Gophers a 6-0 lead right out of the gate. They both also stay undefeated, with Sanders winning 11-5 to run his record to 6-0 while Ness tabbed a 3-0 shutout to improve to a team leading 9-0.
For just the second time on the season, Sanders earned a decision, as four of his victories this season have earned bonus points. Ness, meanwhile, tallies his first decision on the season after eight straight pins to open his senior campaign. His eight consecutive falls tied the school record, but tonight he missed out on an opportunity to set a new standard with nine straight.
With the Gophers leading 6-0, the attention shifted to one of the premiere matches of the night as No. 10 Mike Thorn (St. Michael, Minn.) of Minnesota squared off with No. 16 Jamal Parks of Oklahoma State at 141. Parks scored a takedown early and was able hold off Thorn, earning an eventual 4-1 win to put the Cowboys on the board, cutting the Gophers lead in half.
With the Minnesota lead now at 6-3, unsportsmanlike conduct was called on each team, deducting a point from each side to leave the team score at 5-2 Gophers, with seven matches still left to go.
At 149, Mario Mason (Moorestown, N.J.) made his dual meet debut, after missing last week. He led nearly the entire match on his way to a 13-9 victory for the first dual win of his career. The win from the 12th ranked Mason again stretched the Gophers lead to six points at 8-2, but it would be the last for Minnesota.
Another Gopher debut did not go quite as well, as No. 2 Dustin Schlatter (Massilion, Ohio) was outdueled by No. 17 Alex Meade in Schlatter's first match of the season. The 165 pound match was as close as could be with Meade squeaking by with a 3-2 win. Schlatter's match, coupled with a Joe Grygelko (Greenfield, Minn.) loss in the match before, allowed Oklahoma State to tie the match at 8-8 with four left to go.
At 174 Cody Yohn (Alamosa, Colo.) fell by 9-6 score and at 174, his older brother Sonny dropped a 13-1 decision to the Cowboys ninth ranked Clayton Foster. With two matches left, a win was still in reach, but the Gophers trailed 15-8.
A decision at 197 would seal the win for the Cowboys with No. 9 Alan Gelogaev bettering Brent Eidenschink (Detroit Lakes Minn.) 13-6. The win stretched the difference to 10 points at 18-8 heading into the final match. Eidenschink was starting in his first match of the season.
Though the match was won, the heavyweights still provided plenty of excitement at the Cowboys No. 3 Jared Rosholt squared off with the Gophers No. 10 Ben Berhow (Hayward, Minn.) The only match-up of the night featuring two top-10 wrestlers, ended regulation tied 6-6. In the extra session, Rosholt scored a takedown first for the 8-6 sudden victory win, and the 21-8 final.
There will be little time to rest as the Gophers return to Williams Arena and face their second straight Big 12 opponent when Nebraska comes north on Thursday, Dec. 10. The match is slated for a 7:00 p.m. start.
125 pounds: No. 4 Zach Sanders (MINN) dec. No. 8 Chris Notte (OSU); 11-5 / 3-0
133 pounds: No. 2 Jayson Ness (MINN) dec. No. 11 Jordan Oliver (OSU); 3-0 / 6-0
141 pounds: No. 16 Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. No. 10 Mike Thorn (MINN); 4-1 / 6-3
(unsportsmanlike conduct called on both teams, one team-point deduced from each side) / 5-2
149 pounds: No. 12 Mario Mason (MINN) dec. Quinten Fuentes (OSU); 13-9 / 8-2
157 pounds: No. 9 Neil Erisman (OSU) dec. Joe Grygelko (MINN); 7-0 / 8-5
165 pounds: No. 17 Alex Meade (OSU) dec. No. 2 Dustin Schlatter (MINN); 3-2 / 8-8
174 pounds: Chris McNeil (OSU) dec. Cody Yohn (MINN); 9-6 / 9-12 / 8-11
184 pounds: No. 9 Clayton Foster (OSU) MD No. 17 Sonny Yohn (MINN); 13-1 / 8-15
197 pounds: No. 9 Alan Gelogaev (OSU) dec. Brent Eidenschink (MINN); 13-6 / 8-18
285 pounds: No. 3 Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. No. 10 Ben Berhow (MINN); 8-6 SV / 8-21
Players Mentioned
