WVU Bows out of NWCA National Duals

Oklahoma Upends WVU, 20-18

January 18, 2002
Columbus, Ohio – Twelfth-ranked Oklahoma raced out to a 10-0 lead and won four of the first five matches en route to a 20-18 upset over the tournament's No.6 seed West Virginia in the first round of the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals.

Bo Maynes (125) and Teyon Ware (141) earned decisions and Witt Durden (133) scored a major decision to help give the Sooners the early lead. West Virginia's Billy Smith (149) injected life into the West Virginia team with a pin of Matt Goice to help cut the lead to 10-6.

However, any momentum the Mountaineers had earned was thwarted in the next match when WVU's Matt Lebe (157) was defeated 14-8 by Raf Maturino. Lebe scored the first points of the match but surrendered a late takedown and nearfall at the end of both the first and second periods to help secure the win for Maturino.

Tom McMath (165) won a tough 5-2 decision over Oklahoma's Wes Roberts to cut the Sooner lead to 13-9. McMath scored two takedowns in the last period to give the Mountaineers the win.

WVU's Greg Jones (174) squared off against Robbie Waller and won a narrow 6-5 decision. Jones was taken down in the first period but responded with an escape and a takedown to end the first period tied 3-3. Jones scored the only points in the second with an escape. In the third, Waller opened with an escape but Jones scored the match-winning takedown with just over a minute left in the match. The Mountaineers were as close as they had been all day as they pulled to within a point at 13-12.

Oklahoma's Josh Lambrecht dominated on his way to an 8-0 major decision to give the Sooners a 17-12 lead. Needing a win to extend the dual match at 197, West Virginia's Adrian Thompson battled and controlled most of the second-half of his match with Tom Grossman. The two traded escapes to open the second and third periods to cap the scoring in regulation. Grossman then scored a takedown midway through the overtime period to secure the match and the dual victory for the Sooners.

With the match in hand, Oklahoma forfeited at heavyweight.

West Virginia moves to the consolation round where they will face 3rd-ranked Minnesota. The Gophers are the two-time NWCA National Duals defending champion but were upset in the first round by Iowa State.

Oklahoma 20, West Virginia 18
125 - Bo Maynes (OK) dec. Seth Lisa (WV), 7-1
133 - Witt Durden (OK) maj. dec. Brandon Lauer (WV), 19-6
141 - Teyon Ware (OK) dec. Shane Cunanan (WV), 7-3
149 - Billy Smith (WV) pinned Matt Goice (OK), 5:47
157 - Raf Maturino (OK) dec. Matt Lebe (WV), 14-8
165 - Tom McMath (WV) dec. Wes Roberts (OK), 5-2
174 - Greg Jones (WV) dec. Robbie Waller (OK), 6-5
184 - Josh Lambrecht (OK) maj. dec. Ryan Wilman (WV), 8-0
197 - Tom Grossman (OK) dec. Adrian Thompson (WV), 3-1 (sv)
HWT - Brent Miller (WV) wins by forfeit

Gophers Edge Mountaineers

January 18, 2003
Columbus, Ohio – The third-seeded Minnesota Golden Gophers eliminated sixth-seeded West Virginia, 20-15, at the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Dual championships Saturday afternoon in a tight match that was marked by dramatic shifts in momentum and a stirring conclusion.

The match went back and forth in the early bouts as Seth Lisa (125) opened the Mountaineer scoring with a 3-0 win over Bobby Lowe. Minnesota's Ryan Lewis (133) responded with a 10-0 major decision over Brian Floyd (wrestling in place of Brandon Lauer) that put the Gophers up 4-3.

A takedown in the third period gave Shane Cunanan (141) a 7-5 decision over Tom Owen, but Minnesota scored another major decision at 149 where Jared Lawrence beat Billy Smith 13-3.

The Gophers started to extend their lead with wins at 157 and 165. Luke Becker (157) defeated Matt Lebe 9-4 and Jacob Volkman (165) defeated Tom McMath 10-6. In that match, McMath scored a takedown in the first 13 seconds and recorded another later in the first to take a 4-2 lead. However, Volkman responded and scored two takedowns in the second, including one at the end of the period to tie the match at 6-6. Volkman started bottom in the third and scored an escape and a takedown to secure the win. At that point, Minnesota led 14-6.

The Mountaineers climbed back into the match with important wins at 174 and 184. Greg Jones (174) scored the only offensive point of the match in the first period and escaped with a 3-2 victory over Josh McLay to cut the Gopher lead to 14-9.

At 184, Anthony Regalbuto, who weighed in at 174 and has not seen action at 184 in his career, raced out to a 4-2 lead over Matt Nagel on two takedowns in the first period. However, Regalbuto chose down to start the second and was called for stalling twice as Nagel rode him the entire period. Nagel then chose down to start the third and escaped before Regalbuto took him down right to his back and recorded the dramatic pin to give WVU its third lead of the dual, 15-14. Coach Craig Turnbull bumped Ryan Wilman to 197 to wrestle Damion Hahn and Hahn got the best of the matchup taking a 4-2 decision to give Minnesota a slim 17-15 lead heading into the final match.

At heavyweight, Minnesota's Garrett Lowney scored a takedown in the first on a missed shot by WVU's Brent Miller. Miller scored the escape and the period ended with Lowney leading 2-1. Miller scored the only point in the second with an escape. Lowney began the third with an escape to take the 3-2 lead. Needing a takedown, Miller shot often in the last minute but Lowney used Miller's aggressiveness to score a takedown. After a WVU escape, Miller shot desperately again as time was expiring and surrendered another takedown. The 7-3 decision clinched Minnesota's dual win.

West Virginia (2-3) will return to action Saturday, February 2, with an EWL match at Clarion.

Minnesota 20, West Virginia 15
125 - Seth Lisa (WV) dec. Bobby Lowe (MN), 3-0
133 - Ryan Lewis (MN) maj.dec. Brian Floyd (WV), 10-0
141 - Shane Cunanan (WV) dec. Tom Owen (MN), 7-5
149 - Jared Lawrence (MN) maj. dec. Billy Smith (WV), 13-3
157 - Luke Becker (MN) dec. Matt Lebe (WV), 9-4
165 - Jacob Volkman (MN) dec. Tom McMath (WV), 10-6
174 - Greg Jones (WV) dec. Josh McLay (MN), 3-2
184 - Anthony Regalbuto (WV) pinned Matt Nagel, 5:22
197 - Damion Hall (MN) dec. Ryan Wilman (WV), 4-2
HWT - Garrett Lowney (MN) dec. Brent Miller (WV), 7-3


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