Tie Goes to the Cowboys

Jan. 7, 2012

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IOWA CITY, Iowa – The top-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team split 10 matches with No. 2 Oklahoma State tonight, 16-16, but the Cowboys outscored the Hawkeyes 54-51 in match points and earned a 17-16 victory in front of a sell-out crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The Oklahoma State (6-0) victory ended the Hawkeyes’ 84-dual unbeaten streak. Iowa (7-1) had not lost a dual since a 19-14 Oklahoma State decision Jan. 5, 2008.

“There are two things we need to address as a team,” said head coach Tom Brands. “One is you have to put unbelievable emphasis on your wrestling. We didn’t do that. In some cases we did. The other thing is rolling, falling into positions of the opponent way too much. And it bit us. I would say the same thing if we were the winner of the (tiebreak) criteria.”

Oklahoma State won the tiebreak point based on the third criteria. The first was dual wins (5-5). The second was falls or technical falls (0-0). The third criteria, match points, favored the Cowboys, 54-51.

Oklahoma State opened the dual with a 4-0 lead when second-ranked Alan Gelogaev scored a 10-2 major decision over redshirt freshmen Bobby Telford. Gelogaev opened the heavyweight scoring with a takedown with three nearfall points in the opening period. He then scored a quick reversal to open the second frame and added a takedown and a point for riding time to earn the win. Telford managed just a pair of escapes in the match.

Iowa junior Matt McDonough ignited the crowd and tied the match with a 14-4 major decision over eighth-ranked Jon Morrison. Iowa’s second-ranked 125-pounder recorded one takedown in the first, two in the second and three in the third to tie the team score, 4-4, and record his fifth major decision of the season. McDonough piled up 2:10 in riding time en route to his ninth straight win.

Sophomore Tony Ramos kept the Hawkeyes rolling with a 4-3 overtime decision over top-ranked Jordan Oliver. After a scoreless first, the 133-pound wrestlers traded escapes in the second and third periods. Ramos then scored a takedown with 22 seconds left in the third to grab a 3-1lead, but Oliver wiggled free with six seconds on the clock and used a riding-time point to force overtime. After a scoreless sudden victory period, Oliver was tagged with a caution point in the first tiebreak period and Ramos secured the win to give Iowa a 7-4 team lead.

Senior Montell Marion extended Iowa’s team lead to 10-4 with a 9-7 decision over ninth-ranked Josh Kindig. Marion surrendered the first takedown of the match but put together consecutive escapes and a takedown to grab a 4-2 edge early in the second period. Kindig then escaped and scored a takedown to grab a 5-4 edge before Marion escaped to tie the score 5-5 heading to the final frame. Kindig escaped 10 seconds into the third frame and held a 6-5 lead before Marion scored a takedown with 26 seconds on the clock to grab the lead for good. Iowa’s fourth-ranked 141-pounder added a pair of nearfall points with six second left before cutting Kindig and earning a 9-7 decision.

Oklahoma State then tied the team score, 10-10, with back-to-back decisions at 149 and 157. Iowa’s Michael Kelly fell to No. 2 Jamal Parks, 8-3, at 149 pounds and Nick Moore lost a 7-4 decision to Albert White at 157 pounds.

Redshirt freshman Mike Evans helped Iowa regain the lead, 13-10, with a 5-1 decision at 165 pounds. Following a scoreless first period, Oklahoma State’s Dallas Baily escaped to start the second frame before Evans reeled off five straight points. He scored a takedown with a 1:09 left in the second and recorded a reversal with 1:09 left in the third to build a 4-1 lead. He earned a final 5-1 victory with 1:54 of riding time.

Oklahoma State’s third-ranked Chris Perry forced a 13-13 tie with a 3-2 overtime win over Ethen Lofthouse at 174. Perry scored a second period escape to enter the third frame with a 1-0 lead before Lofthouse scored a takedown with 28 seconds left in the match. Perry would escape with four seconds on the clock to force overtime and, after a scoreless sudden victory period, recorded his third escape of the match during the first tiebreak to earn a 3-2 win.

Senior Vinnie Wagner led Iowa to a 16-13 advantage when he scored a third period reversal in the 184-pound match. Wagner escaped at the start of the third frame to tie the match 1-1 before taking a 2-1 lead when OSU’s Chris McNeil was hit with a stall warning. McNeil then took a 3-2 lead with a takedown with 41 seconds on the clock before Wagner scored a reversal with 21 seconds left, holding on for the 4-3 win.

Trailing the team race 16-13, Oklahoma State’s Blake Rosholt scored an 8-4 decision over Iowa’s Grant Gambrall to tie the team score, 16-16. Rosholt didn’t allow an offensive point to Gambrall and collected 2:01 of riding time while tying the team score and forcing the officials into the decisive third criteria tiebreaker.

The Hawkeyes return to the mat Friday, Jan. 13, at Nebraska. Iowa will face the Huskers at 7 p.m. (CT) inside the NU Coliseum. The Hawkeyes then host Northwestern on Sunday, Jan. 15. The Wildcats visit Carver-Hawkeye Arena at 1 p.m. To purchase tickets, contact the UI Ticket Office at 800-IA-HAWKS or online at hawkeyesports.com. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children, and free for kids five and under.

NOTES: Attendace was 15,400, a sellout and the third largest dual crowd in NCAA history and the second largest dual crowd in Carver-Hawkeye Arena history… Ramos’ victory over Oliver marked the first loss of the season (10-1) for the defending NCAA champion… the loss ended Iowa’s 38-dual home winning streak.

#1 University of Iowa 16, #2 Oklahoma State University 17*
Hwt. – Alan Gelogaev (OSU) major dec. Bobby Telford (I), 10-2; TS 0-4
125 – Matt McDonough (I) major dec. Jon Morrison (OSU), 14-4; TS 4-4
133 – Tony Ramos (I) dec. Jordan Oliver (OSU), 4-3 (TB1); TS 7-4
141 – Montell Marion (I) dec. Josh Kindig (OSU), 9-7; 10-4
149 – Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. Mike Kelly (I), 8-3; TS 10-7
157 – Albert White (OSU) dec. Nick Moore (I), 7-4; TS 10-10
165 – Mike Evans (I) dec. Dallas Bailey (OSU), 5-1; TS 13-10
174 – Chris Perry (OSU) dec. Ethen Lofthouse (I), 3-2 (TB1); TS 13-13
184 – Vinnie Wagner (I) dec. Chris McNeil (OSU), 4-3; TS 16-13
197 – Blake Rosholt (OSU) dec. Grant Gambrall (I), 8-4 : TS 16-16
*Oklahoma State earns one team point on the third criteria – total match points (54-51).