Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Minnesota
Oklahoma State Wrestling Falls to No. 2 Minnesota, 19-15
November 29, 2014 | Cowboy Wrestling
MINNEAPOLIS – Oklahoma State's wrestling squad, ranked ninth in the nation, is 2-1 on the season after 19-15 road loss to second-ranked Minnesota on Saturday in Minneapolis.
“We knew this was going to be a tough dual for us,” coach John Smith said. “Our key was to create a scenario where we could keep people in matches. I think we got a little bit of that, but there were some guys who didn't give me any of that. We just have to understand that when we pull our singlet on, we have to try to win. I felt like I had too many guys that were just surviving matches. We wrestled some freshmen against some of their seniors, but who cares. I think we can take away some things from this match and move forward from here.”
The Cowboys lost the first three matches, with the dual starting at 174 pounds as Kyle Crutchmer took on No. 1 Logan Storley. In his first start at the weight, Crutchmer fell to the Gopher, 8-1.
Nolan Boyd suffered a 5-1 loss to No. 15 Brett Pfarr at 184 pounds, and Austin Schafer dropped an 11-4 match to top-ranked Scott Schiller.
At heavyweight, fifth-ranked Austin Marsden gave the Cowboys their first win with an 8-2 decision over Michael Kroells. The returning All-American tallied a takedown in each period along with an escape and a point for riding time advantage to best the Gopher.
Two-time NCAA qualifier Eddie Klimara made his first start for the Pokes for the 2014-15 season, taking on No. 12 Samuel Brancale. The junior put the Cowboys back in it when he pinned the Gopher in 4:58, tying the team score, 9-9.
“I knew I had to just go out there and wrestle, and as long as I kept wresting my style, I could keep on scoring and staying on the offense,” Klimara said. “It was exciting being able to get on the mat and wrestle with my team that I've been a part of for three years now and wrestling against Minnesota for my first dual back.”
At 133 pounds, Minnesota's Chris Dardanes, ranked third in the nation, answered OSU's pin with a major decision over Brian Crutchmer, 20-8.
Redshirt freshman Dean Heil made his varsity debut for OSU, wrestling No. 4 Nick Dardanes at 141 pounds. The Ohio native struck first with takedown in the first period and kept the match close for the majority of the match, but it was Dardanes who came away victorious, 9-5.
All-American and No. 2 Josh Kindig edged No. 20 Jake Short , 4-1, at 149 pounds. After a scoreless first period, Short got on the board with an escape to start the second. Two stalling calls for Short gave Kindig his first point, ending the second period tied, 1-1. Kindig earned an escape early in the third for a one-point lead and finished off the match with a takedown in the final seconds of the match.
At 157 pounds, No. 14 Anthony Collica fell to No. 1 Dylan Ness, 6-0, which sealed the victory for the Gophers with one match remaining.
2014 NCAA champion Alex Dieringer finished the dual with a Cowboy win. The top-ranked 165 pounder defeated 14th-ranked Nick Wanzek with a 9-2 decision, collecting a quick takedown and three nearfall points in the first period along with an escape, another takedown and a riding time point.
The Cowboys return to Gallagher-Iba Arena for their first home dual of the season as they host in-state rival Oklahoma on Dec. 7 at 2 p.m.
No. 2 Minnesota 19, No. 9 Oklahoma State 15
Nov. 29, 2014 :: Minneapolis, Minn. (Sports Pavilion) :: Attendance – 4,124
**Dual started at 174 pounds
174: No. 1 Logan Storley (MINN) dec. No. 19 Kyle Crutchmer (OSU), 8-1
184: No. 15 Brett Pfarr (MINN) dec. Nolan Boyd (OSU), 5-1
197: No. 1 Scott Schiller (MINN) dec. Austin Schafer (OSU), 11-4
285: No. 5 Austin Marsden (OSU) dec. Michael Kroells (OSU), 8-2
125: Eddie Klimara (OSU) fall No. 12 Sam Brancale (MINN), 4:58
133: No. 3 Chris Dardanes (MINN) MD Brian Crutchmer (OSU), 20-8
141: No. 4 Nick Dardanes (MINN) dec. Dean Heil (OSU), 9-5
149: No. 2 Josh Kindig (OSU) dec. No. 20 Jake Short (MINN), 4-1
157: No. 1 Dylan Ness (MINN) dec. No. 14 Anthony Collica (OSU), 6-0
165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (OSU) dec. No. 14 Nick Wanzek (MINN), 9-2
