WVU Exits from National Duals
By Steve Stone
WVU Sports Information Office
January 12, 2008
CEDAR FALLS, IOWA - The West Virginia University wrestling team was defeated in both of its matches on Saturday, January 12, at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
The two losses forced WVU to exit from the nationally acclaimed tournament after losing a morning meet against Minnesota, 32-9, followed by another defeat in the afternoon meet against Ohio State, 29-9.
The injury-plagued Mountaineers (3-3) started off slowly against No. 5 nationally ranked Minnesota in their first match. The Golden Gophers won six of the first seven bouts, including two by pin and one by technical fall, to jumpstart their victory over WVU and advance to the quarterfinals.
Junior David Jauregui registered a 10-4 decision over Minnesota’s Luke Mellmer in the 149-pound bout. Jauregui recorded two takedowns and dominated the match by forcing 2:49 riding time to earn his fifth win of the season.
Reigning EWL wrestler of the week Kurt Brenner scored WVU’s second victory of the meet with a 7-6 decision over Brandon Sitch of the Golden Gophers. Continuing his impressive play that began last week in California, Brenner started off the match with two key takedowns and scored another in the third period to hold off Sitch’s late rally.
Senior Jared Villers (197) capped the Mountaineer’s third and final victory of the meet with a 7-4 decision over Minnesota’s Justin Bronson, who dropped to 15-9 overall. Villers got off to a strong start after storming to a 6-1 first period lead and controlled the match throughout.
Villers was the only Mountaineer to achieve two victories on the day after scoring an 8-6 decision over Ohio State’s John Weakly in the second meet. Having already defeated Weakly at the Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev., Villers needed a late effort to pull off the win after being down 5-2 through the first two periods. In the final period, Villers recorded two takedowns and an escape to get the comeback victory and earn his fourth straight win.
In their second meet, the Mountaineers lost their first four bouts until getting a victory from Zac Fryling (157), who earned a 6-3 decision over Jason Johnstone of Ohio State in a hard-fought match. Fryling’s two takedowns in the first period proved to be the difference in a match where Johnstone only earned three points from three escapes.
Junior Chance Litton (174) avenged an earlier loss against Minnesota by defeating Alex Picazo of the Buckeyes, 8-2. The victory boosted Litton to an impressive 5-1 dual meet record after earning three near fall points in the third period to seal the win.
The Mountaineers return to action on Thursday, January 24, at 7:30 p.m. when they open up their EWL season against Clarion at the WVU Coliseum.
Minnesota 32 WVU 9
125: Jayson Ness (MIN) INJURY DEFAULT Kyle Turnbull (WVU)
133: Mack Reiter (MIN) TECHNICAL Jared Garvin (WVU) 17-1
141: Manuel Rivera (MIN) FALL Stephen Waite (WVU) 4:48
149: David Jauregui (WVU) DEC Luke Mellmer (MIN) 10-4
157: CP Schlatter (MIN) DEC Zac Fryling (WVU) 4-1
165: Tyler Safratowich (MIN) DEC Donnie Jones (WVU) 6-2
174: Gabe Dretsch (MIN) FALL Chance Litton (WVU) 1:55
184: Kurt Brenner (WVU) DEC Brandon Sitch (MIN) 7-6
197: Jared Villers (WVU) DEC Justin Bronson (MIN) 7-4
HWT: Yuri Malamura (MIN) DEC Dustin Rogers (WVU) 7-5
Ohio State 29 WVU 9
125: Nikko Triggas (OSU) FORFEIT Kyle Turnbull (WVU)
133: Reece Humphrey (OSU) MAJOR Tyler Oravec (WVU) 17-4
141: T.J. Enright (OSU) MAJOR Stephen Waite (WVU) 12-2
149: Lance Palmer (OSU) MAJOR David Jauregui (WVU) 8-0
157: Zac Fryling (WVU) DEC Jason Johnstone (OSU) 6-3
165: Colt Sponseller (OSU) DEC Donnie Jones (WVU) 14-9
174: Chance Litton (WVU) DEC Alex Picazo (OSU) 8-2
184: Mike Pucillo (OSU) MAJOR Kurt Brenner (WVU) 11-3
197: Jared Villers (WVU) DEC John Weakly (OSU) 8-6
HWT: Jason Bergman (OSU) MAJOR Lou Thomas (WVU) 9-1
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