WVU Blows Out Duquesne
By Scott Castleman
WVU Sports Information Office
December 15, 2006
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The No. 24-ranked West Virginia University wrestling team strung together eight consecutive wins to close out an impressive 37-7 defeat of Duquesne on Friday, Dec. 15, at the WVU Coliseum.
“With four starters out we wanted to see our guys come out and work hard,” said head coach Craig Turnbull. “Overall this was a great start to the season.”
Three of the Mountaineers that filled in for teammates out of the lineup on Friday night recorded big wins including Eric Connolly (165), Joe Clutter (174) and Matt Holsopple (HWT).
WVU (1-0) had to erase an early 7-0 deficit after the Dukes (1-2) claimed wins at the 125 and 133-pound weight classes. Sophomore 141-pounder Brandon Rader got the Mountaineer run started with an energizing pin versus Jayk Cobbs. The Parkersburg, W.Va., native tallied a takedown just four seconds into the bout and finished Cobbs off 2:12 into the first round.
David Jauregui followed Rader’s performance with a pin of his own in his 149-pound match against Brandon Balidini. The Santa Ana, Calif, native built up a 9-5 lead in the first round on four takedowns and an escape before putting Baldini on his back 2:32 in.
Junior Zac Fryling earned more bonus points for the Mountaineers with a 19-4 tech fall against Cody Midlam 6:39 into the match. The Lansdale, Pa., native showed no signs of rust after not wrestling a dual meet match in over a year as he tallied seven takedowns in the bout.
Eric Connolly and Joe Clutter won their bouts at the 165 and 174-pound weight classes, respectively. Connolly knocked off Ryan Sula, 7-5, while Joe Clutter took care of Scott Black, 4-3.
Sophomore Chance Litton defeated Duquesne’s Jared Ricotta, 6-3, in the 184-pound match as he continued to show vast signs of improvement from last season. The Parkersburg, W.Va., native has already surpassed his win total from a year ago by four less than a third of the way into the season.
Jared Villers put on a clinic in near falls in his 197-pound bout as he recorded two takedowns in his match against Tim Frank and then turned his opponent six times to earn an impressive 16-0 victory at the 3:46 mark.
Matt Holsopple closed out the Mountaineers’ run the same way it began when he pinned Joe D’Orsie at the 1:50 minute mark in his heavyweight bout. The Sharpsville, Pa., native entered the 2006-07 season having never recorded a pin in his collegiate career, but has already scored two as a senior. Holsopple’s six wins on the season have also bettered his four career wins he entered this year with.
WVU returns to action when it travels to Chicago, Ill., to compete at the Midlands Classic, Dec. 29-30.
Match Results (W, 37-7)
125: John Bittinger (DU) MAJOR Brandon Shpiro (WVU), 11-0
133: Brad Cipriani (DU) DEC Mark Anderson (DU), 7-5 sv
141: Brandon Rader (WVU) FALL Jayk Cobbs (DU), 2:12
149: David Jauregui (WVU) FALL Brandon Baldini (DU), 2:32
157: Zac Fryling (WVU) TECH Cody Midlam (DU), 19-4, 6:39
165: Eric Connolly (WVU) DEC Ryan Sula (DU), 7-5
174: Joe Clutter (WVU) DEC Scott Black (DU), 4-3
184: Chance Litton (WVU) DEC Jared Ricotta (DU), 6-3
197: Jared Villers (WVU) TECH Tim Frank (DU), 16-0, 3:46
HWT: Matt Holsopple (WVU) FALL Joe D’Orsie, 1:50
Official: Joe Tauber
Attendance: 432
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