Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Iowa
Wrestling Falls To No. 1 Iowa, 20-14
February 04, 2000 | Cowboy Wrestling
Feb. 4, 2000
IOWA CITY, Iowa - A valiant effort by OSU's Billy Gabel ran out of time as the top-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes escaped with a 20-14 win tonight in front of 10,498 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Gabel, OSU's 174-pounder fought Iowa's 14th-ranked Gabe McHahan but came out on the short end of a 12-9 decision. Gabel, trailing 8-4 used two third period takedowns to close within 10-9. McHahan then escaped and added the riding time point for the 12-9 decision.
The fifth-ranked Cowboys fall to 9-4-1 on the season, while Iowa improves to 14-0, and tightens its grip on the nation's top spot.
"Billy is a kid that transferred in from Nebraska as a 157-pounder and we got him all the way to 174 pounds, and he's not a 174-pounder," said OSU assistant head coach Mark Perry. "He's a kid that's going to go out and give you 100 percent all of the time. I think he got a little tired tonight but that's more the weight difference than anything."
OSU's seventh-ranked 184-pounder Daniel Cormier opened the dual with a 11-5 decision of the Hawkeye's Jessman Smith. Third-ranked Mark Mu-oz then increased the OSU lead to 6-0 with a 10-8 decision over Iowa's 10th-ranked Lee Weber.
An undersized Pat Popolizio filled in for OSU's injured 285-pounder Dave Anderton and suffered a 20-5 technical fall to No.3-ranked Wes Hand. Popolizio gave up over 50-pounds to the Iowa heavyweight.
The match then moved to the 125-pound weight class where Iowa sent No. 2 Jody Strittmatter up against OSU's hottest wrestler of late, sixth-ranked Jeff Ragan. However, Strittmatter pulled away in the second period and scored a 7-2 win.
Iowa sent No.1-ranked wresters to the mat at 133 and 141 pounds. At 133 pounds, Eric Juergens decisioned No. 7 Charles Walker 5-2, while Iowa's Doug Schwab decisioned fifth-ranked Jamill Kelly, 8-5.
Reggie Wright just missed a pin, but secured bonus points for the Cowboys with his 20-5 technical fall over Iowa's Josh Budke, to cut the Hawkeye lead to 14-11.
At 157 pounds, Iowa's undefeated and top-ranked T.J. Williams went up against redshirt freshman Shane Roller. Roller gave Williams a hard fought battle, but the defending national champion prevailed, 9-4.
Ty Wilcox won a tight, 4-3, decision at 165 pounds, bringing the Cowboys within three points at 17-14 headed into the night's final match at 174 pounds.
Iowa 20, OSU 14
184: Daniel Cormier (OSU) dec. Jessman Smith (UI), 11-5
197: Mark Mu-oz (OSU) dec. Lee Weber (UI), 10-8
285: Wes Hand (UI) tech. fall Pat Popolizio (OSU), 20-5
125: Jody Strittmatter (UI) dec. Jeff Ragan (OSU), 7-2
133: Eric Juergens (UI) dec. Charles Walker (OSU), 5-2
141: Doug Schwab (UI) dec. Jamill Kelly (OSU), 8-5
149: Reggie Wright (OSU) tech. fall Josh Budke (UI), 20-5
157: T.J. Williams (UI) dec. Shane Roller (OSU), 9-4
165: Ty Wilcox (OSU) dec. Matt Anderson (UI), 4-3
174: Gabe McHahan (UI) dec. Billy Gabel (OSU), 12-9
