Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Minnesota (Finals)
Cowboys Fall In Duals Finals
January 21, 2001 | Cowboy Wrestling
Jan. 21, 2001
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Oklahoma State's top-ranked wrestling team lost a hard-fought battle to No. 2-ranked Minnesota, 20-12, in the finals of the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals at the Bryce Jordan Center.
The loss is the first of the season for the 11-1 Cowboys, Minnesota also improves to 11-1. The win is the second National Duals title for Minnesota, the other coming in 1998. OSU has captured the title five times, the last coming in 1999.
"We didn't wrestle bad this weekend," according to head coach John Smith. "We are a team, as you see, that probably every team out here matches up with pretty good.
These aren't easy victories for us -- we have to fight, and we have to scrap. We are just going to have to do it a little harder if we are going to win."
The top OSU performance came at 133 pounds where fourth-ranked Johnny Thompson upset Minnesota's second-ranked Brett Lawrence, 4-1. Thompson scored on one of his patented double-leg takedowns midway through the second period, and that proved to be the difference in the match.
"Johnny (Thompson) wrestled well," said Smith. "He is still figuring out what it (college wrestling) is all about, but I feel real good about where he is at. He's gone through some pretty tough battles this week and obviously he learned a lot about himself.
The Pokes sent backup 157-pounder Billy Gabel to the mat at 165 pounds against third-ranked Brad Pike. The Cowboys' regular 165-pounder Ty Wilcox was held out due to a knee injury.
Gabel surrendered the first bonus points of the match, getting pinned in 6:34. The fall gave the Golden Gophers a 15-6 lead, and the vital bonus points they needed.
Minnesota's Damion Hahn capitalized on a mistake, and decisioned No. 2-ranked Daniel Cormier, 4-3. Hahn counter a Cormier throw attempt and scored with 12 seconds left in the match. The win extended Minnesota's lead to 18-9 and extinguished the hopes of the Cowboys.
Mark Mu?oz scored a 9-4 decision at 197 pounds to pull the Cowboys to within 17-12. But, Minnesota's heavyweight Garret Lowney won a 3-2 decision over James Huml to finish off the Pokes.
The Gopehers jumped out to the early 3-0 lead when 125-pounder Leroy Vega scored a takedown with 16 seconds left in the overtime for a 6-4 win over Matt Brown.
The Pokes sent Charles Walker to the mat at 141 pounds against the Gophers' sixth-ranked Chad Erikson. Walker weighted in at 133 pounds, giving up eight pounds to Erikson. In the end, the difference was riding time as Erikson picked up a 2-1 win.
Second-ranked Reggie Wright scored at overtime takedown against third-ranked Gopher Jared Lawrence for a 3-1 win. The two grapplers exchanged escapes in regulation before Wright's winning takedown.
Tied at 1-1 in the third period, fourth-ranked Luke Becker got in on OSU's Shane Roller for a takedown and back points. Becker extended the lead and went of for a 7-2 win.
Minnesota 20, OSU 17
Match Results
125: Leroy Vega (Minn.) dec. Matt Brown, 6-4, ot
133: Johnny Thompson (OSU) dec. Brett Lawrence, 4-1
141: Chad Erikson (Minn.) dec. Charles Walker, 4-0
149: Reggie Wright (OSU) dec. Jared Lawrence, 3-1, ot
157: Luke Becker (Minn.) dec. Shane Roller, 7-2
165: Brad Pike (Minn.) fall Billy Gabel, 6:34
174: Tyrone Lewis (OSU) dec. Jacob Volkman, 8-4
184: Damion Hahn (Minn.) dec. Daniel Cormier, 4-3
197: Mark Mu?oz (OSU) dec. Owen Elzen, 9-4
285: Garret Lowney (Minn.) dec. James Huml, 3-2
