WVU Dumps Vikings
By Steve Stone
WVU Sports Information Office
February 24, 2008
CLEVELAND, OHIO – The West Virginia University wrestling team closed its regular season with a dominant 32-2 victory over Eastern Wrestling League opponent Cleveland State on Sunday, Feb. 24, in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Mountaineers (8-5, 4-2 EWL) registered three major decisions and a technical fall against the Vikings (4-11, 0-6 EWL). WVU also limited Cleveland State to two takedowns the entire match and won nine of 10 bouts.
No. 19 Dustin Rogers (HWT) defeated No. 17 Rashard Goff in a 2-1 decision to end the match. Rogers scored a reversal in the second period and managed to prevent his opponent from escaping in the final period.
Junior Kyle Turnbull (125) started WVU off with an 8-1 decision over Cleveland State’s Ryan Riggs. Turnbull earned 3:17 riding time during the match and controlled his opponent throughout by mustering three takedowns and an escape to start the Mountaineers with an early 3-0 lead.
Jared Garvin (133) earned a 2-0 decision over Josh Palivoda in a hard-fought match. Garvin controlled the entire second period after starting on top and preventing his opponent from escaping. He scored immediately off an escape in the third period and added 1:56 riding time to get the victory.
David Jauregui (149) took another close match, winning over Ryan Hurley in a 3-2 decision. Jauregui scored a key takedown in the second period and managed an escape in the third period in what proved to be the winning point.
Zac Fryling (157) earned a 12-2 major decision over Robbie Michaels. Fryling scored three near fall points in the first period and added two more in the third period to give WVU four team points, making it 13-3 through five matches.
Donnie Jones (165) earned a quality victory over Marcus Effner, scoring a 5-4 decision in a competitive bout. Jones’ second takedown with 59 seconds left in the third period gave him the decisive win after Effner scored two more points but fell short.
Chance Litton (174) was dominant in his match, winning in a 10-2 major decision over J.T. Miller. Litton garnered 3:10 riding time and managed three takedowns along with a reversal to extend WVU’s lead to 20-3.
Kurt Brenner (184) earned his first technical fall of the season after winning 23-8 in 5:42 over Derek Cummins. Brenner registered 10 takedowns during the match and dominated his opponent throughout. He also added three near fall points as time expired in the first period, falling just short of a pin fall.
Jared Villers gave the Mountaineers a 29-2 lead with a 10-0 major decision over Benny Balogh. Villers recorded four takedowns and added 2:02 riding time to go undefeated in EWL action.
WVU will return to action when it heads to the EWL tournament at the Fitzgerald Field House in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Saturday, March 8. The Mountaineers placed seven NCAA qualifiers at the tournament last season and look to enjoy similar success this year as they try to qualify several wrestlers for the NCAA tournament in St. Louis, Mo., on March 20-22.
WVU 32 CSU
125: Kyle Turnbull (WVU) DEC Ryan Riggs (CSU), 8-1
133: Jared Garvin (WVU) DEC Josh Palivoda (CSU), 2-0
141: Mike Hurley (CSU) DEC Stephen Waite (WVU), 9-2
149: David Jauregui (WVU) DEC Ryan Hurley (CSU), 3-2
157: # 18 Zac Fryling (WVU) MAJOR Robbie Michaels (CSU), 12-2
165: Donnie Jones (WVU) DEC Marcus Effner (CSU), 5-4
174: Chance Litton (WVU) MAJOR J.T. Miller (CSU), 10-2
184: Kurt Brenner (WVU) TECHNICAL Derek Cummins (CSU), 23-8 5:42
197: #14 Jared Villers (WVU) MAJOR Benny Balogh (CSU), 10-0
HWT: #19 Dustin Rogers (WVU) DEC #17 Rashard Goff (CSU), 2-1
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