WVU Finishes 1-2 At National Duals
January 17, 2004
CLEVELAND - The 14th-ranked West Virginia (3-4, 1-0)
wrestling team was eliminated in a close 21-18 match
by No. 12 ranked University of Pennsylvania at the
2004 Cliff Keen/National Wrestling Coaches Association
National Duals in Cleveland, Ohio.
"We extended a challenge to our team following the
Cleveland State match," says WVU head coach Craig
Turnbull. "We knew we were facing a good Penn team and
split them 5-5 in matches and were one takedown away
from a win at 197."
The Mountaineers lit up the scoreboard with wins at
133, 141 and 149-pounds to take an 11-4 team lead.
Sophomore Seth Lisa (133) struck first using a pair of
takedowns in the first period to take an early 4-1
lead over Penn's Matt Eveleth. Lisa and Eveleth traded
shot attempts until the match ended with Lisa notching
a 4-2 decision.
At 141-pounds, Joe Clarke became West Virginia's first
20 match winner. His 20th win came against Shawn
Protz. The senior Mountaineer took a 3-2 advantage
after one period before erupting with an offensive
attack. Clarke used two three-point near falls enroute
to a 16-3 major decision.
"Joe (Clarke) wrestled against some great guys today,"
says Turnbull of his senior Mountaineer. "We always
like to take advantage of these opportunities, whether
it inflates our win/loss record or not, it helps us
achieve our goals both individually and as a team."
Senior Mike Torriero (149) found his first victory of
the day against Rob Hitschler. Torriero rode Hitschler
most of the second period before scoring 10 points in
the third period. WVU's second major decision came
with Torriero's 18-9 victory.
Then came a comeback from the Penn grapplers. Penn
would take four of the final six matches to escape
with the dual meet victory.
The Mountaineers could only muster wins at 165 and 184
pounds to finish the day. Freshman Zac Fryling
controlled the entire match in earning 5-3 decision
over Brett Vanderveer.
"We were a little short-handed all day without Matt
(Lebe)," adds Turnbull. "I thought we wrestled perhaps
our best dual meet despite not picking up the win."
Greg Jones (184), completing his first month of
wrestling this season, looked to be back where he left
off. Jones opened with a takedown against No. 10
ranked Paul Velekei before locking up riding time to
finish the opening period. The junior controlled the
entire match in taking a 9-1 major decision.
"It is good to be back," says Jones. "I'm starting to
find my rhythm out there on the mat. It wasn't all
there until really today.
"It was good to get up here and wrestle against
quality competition," add 2002 NCAA champion Jones.
"This allows our team to see where we can improve and
also gives us a sneak peak of the guys we might see
come NCAAs. Now, we as a team need to get back to work
and prepare for the EWL matches."
West Virginia returns home to the WVU Coliseum for an
Eastern Wrestling League contest against Clarion on
Sunday, Jan. 25, at 1 p.m.
Penn 21 (5-4, 0-0 EIWA)
West Virginia 18 (3-4, 1-0 EWL)
125: #5 Matt Valenti (PENN) Major Casey Brewster (WVU)
11-0
133: Seth Lisa (WVU) Dec Matt Eveleth (PENN) 4-2
141: #14 Joe Clarke (WVU) Major Shawn Protz (PENN)
16-3
149: Mike Torriero (WVU) Major Rob Hitschler (PENN)
18-9
157: Kyle Bernholz (PENN) Dec Drew Joseph (WVU) 3-2
165: Zac Fryling (WVU) Dec Brett Vanderveer (PENN) 5-3
174: #10 Matt Herrington (PENN) Tech Douglas Studenic
(WVU) 21-6
184: #1 Greg Jones (WVU) Major #10 Paul Velekei (PENN)
8-1
197: Marcus Schontube (PENN) Dec #14 Matt Daddino
(WVU) 8-6
285: #4 Matt Feast (PENN) Fall Lanfer Simpson (WVU)
4:57
Grapplers Regroup For Victory
January 17, 2004
Cleveland, Ohio - West Virginia (3-3, 1-0), behind a
stellar heavyweight performance, upended host
Cleveland State, 21-16, at the 2004 Cliff
Keen/National Wrestling Coaches Association National
Duals in Cleveland, Ohio.
With the team score at 18-16 in favor of West Virginia
heading into the final match, the Mountaineers rested
their hope on a sophomore wrestling in just his third
collegiate match. WVU's Lanfer Simpson (285) rose to
the challenge and upset No. 8 ranked Russ Davie to
secure a Mountaineer victory.
After a scoreless first period, Simpson notched a
takedown to take a 2-1 lead into the second period.
Falling a few seconds short of one minute riding time,
Davie needed to score another point but a relentless
Simpson held on to pull off the upset.
Joe Clarke (141) and Greg Jones (184) both tallied
their second wins of the day with an impressive 4-2
decision and a fall at one minute and :55 seconds. No.
14 Clarke took a 1-0 lead heading into the third
period against No. 20 ranked Anthony Coleman. Both
wrestlers traded two-point moves before Clarke escaped
to lead 4-2 and seal the win.
In a dominate performance at 184-pounds, Jones pinned
CSU's Ron Howard at 1:55 of the first period. The
junior Mountaineer scored a takedown to lead 2-0
before setting up Howard. In textbook form, Jones
slowing worked Howard over to earn the fall and take
WVU into the lead at 18-13.
The only other Mountaineer to post a win against
conference foe Cleveland State was Zac Fryling (165).
Fryling battled back and forth with Matt Klinger as
both struggled to find an offensive rhythm. WVU's true
freshman would prevail in taking a 3-2 decision.
West Virginia next wrestles tonight at 5 p.m. with a
matchup against the loser of Penn/Penn State.
West Virginia 21 (3-3, 1-0 EWL)
Cleveland State 16 (6-5, 0-1 EWL)
125: DeAngelo Penn (CSU) Dec Casey Brewster (WVU) 12-7
133: Kevin Linich (CSU) Fall Seth Lisa (WVU) 3:39
141: #14 Joe Clarke (WVU) Dec #20 Anthony Coleman
(CSU) 4-2
149: Matt DePolo (CSU) Dec Mike Torriero (WVU) 13-7
157: Jason Effner (CSU) Major Drew Joseph (WVU) 10-2
165: Zac Fryling (WVU) Dec Matt Klinger (CSU) 3-2
174: Matt Kallai (CSU) Dec Eric Mullen (WVU) 6-0
184: #1 Greg Jones (WVU) Fall Ron Howard (CSU) 1:55
197: Joe Phillips (CSU) Dec #14 Matt Daddino (WVU) 2-1
OT
285: Lanfer Simpson (WVU) Dec #6 Russ Davie (CSU) 2-1
WVU Comes Up Short In Round One
January 17, 2004
Cleveland, Ohio * A late rally be the 14th-ranked West Virginia University (2-3, 1-0) wrestling team was not enough as the Mountaineers fell in opening round action at the 2004 Cliff Keen/National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals in Cleveland, Ohio.
West Virginia won three of the final four matches but fell 29-16 to No. 8 Michigan.
The Wolverines raced out to a 23-3 team lead through six matches. The Mountaineers early victory came from Joe Clarke's 10-9 decision at 141-pounds.
Clarke took an early 4-0 lead over Michigan's Clark Forward in the first period. Forward would tie the match at 5-5 in the middle period before a thrilling third period for both wrestlers. The senior Mountaineer scored a single-leg takedown in the final minute to secure a 10-9 decision.
WVU's Eric Mullen, wrestling in his first dual meet action of the year, scored a fall over UM's R.J. Boudro at 174-pounds. Mullen trailed 7-4 in the second period before turning Boudro on his back for his first career dual meet win.
Greg Jones, the nations No. 1 ranked wrestler at 184-pounds, beat Michigan's Josh Weitzel, 12-4. Jones used three takedowns and a reversal in notching his tenth win of the season. The junior's victory narrowed the team score to 23-13 with two matches remaining.
Junior Matt Daddino won his 197-pound match against the Wolverine's Chase Verdoorn. After a scoreless first period, Daddino scored two takedowns in taking a 5-3 decision.
West Virginia next wrestles at 1 p.m. this afternoon against host and Eastern Wrestling League foe Cleveland State. The Vikings lost in round one to Minnesota, 35-3.
Michigan 29 (7-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
West Virginia 16 (2-3, 1-0 EWL)
125: #8 Mark Moos (UM) Fall Nathan Kendjorsky (WVU) 5:37
133: #7 Foley Dowd (UM) Dec Seth Lisa (WVU) 6-4
141: #14 Joe Clarke (WVU) Dec #15 Clark Forward (UM) 10-9
149: #7 Ryan Churella (UM) Major Mike Torriero (WVU) 11-2
157: #2 Ryan Bertin (UM) Forfeit over WVU
165: #6 Pat Owen (UM) Tech Zac Fryling (WVU) 15-0
174: Eric Mullen (WVU) Fall R.J. Boudro (UM) 3:55
184: #1 Greg Jones (WVU) Major Josh Weitzel (UM) 12-4
197: #14 Matt Daddino (WVU) Dec Chase Verdoorn (UM) 5-3
285: #6 Greg Wagner (UM) Fall Lanfer Simpson (WVU) 2:20
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