Michigan State University
Oklahoma
Wrestling Suffers Tough Setback In Oklahoma
1/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 12, 2008
NORMAN, Okla. - Despite a pair of major decision victories from 133-pound starter No. 3 Franklin Gomez, Michigan State wrestling (3-5-0, 0-0-0) suffered two losses on Saturday, falling to No. 20 Pittsburgh and No. 18 Oklahoma in Howard McCasland Field House on the Sooners' campus. Pittsburgh escaped MSU's late come-back attempt to hold off the Spartans 21-14, while Oklahoma defeated Michigan State 29-7. Gomez extends his record to 16-1 and remains perfect in dual action, 8-0.
Along with Gomez, Joel Trombly, Rex Kendle and No. 18 Joe Williams also tacked on points against the Panthers, and Murphy earned a win against Oklahoma.
In the day's first match against Pittsburgh, MSU lost the first two bouts at 149 and 157 pounds before Kendle put the Spartans on the board. At 165 pounds, Kendle held a 3-2 lead after the first period and escaped Sean Richmond's hold to earn the final 4-2 victory. MSU trailed the Panthers 8-3 after Kendle's win.
After falling behind 14-3, the Spartans rallied to win three of the next four classes. Williams was the next to score points for MSU, where at 197 pounds, Williams posted an 11-2 major decision win over David Crowell, worth four team points. In the first and second periods, Williams had two takedowns and added two near-fall points to go up 6-0 heading into the third. With two escapes, another takedown and the riding time point, Williams sealed his win, and cut Pittsburgh's lead to 14-7.
Trombly brought the Spartans back to within seven points after the Spartans lost the heavyweight bout; Trombly bested Ryan Bosso with a strong 6-0 shutout, his second of the year. After going scoreless in the first two periods, Trombly took control with a takedown; he then held Bosso down for three near fall points, and added on the riding time point to clinch his 125-pound match, and get the Spartans back to within seven points.
Gomez inched the Spartans to within three points with his 13-4 major decision win over Jimmy Conroy. Gomez entered the third period with a 6-2 lead and chose the down position. With a quick reversal, Gomez extended his lead to 8-2. After 10 seconds Conroy escaped but not 10 seconds later, Gomez took him to the mat again to go up 10-3. Conroy managed to get away one last time, but Gomez tacked on one more takedown, along with the riding time point, to seal his fifth major decision of the season.
Micah Carter wrestled the last match against Pittsburgh in only the second start of his career, but couldn't handle the Panthers' veteran fifth-year Drew Headlee. Pittsburgh captured the match 21-14.
After a brief break, the Spartans faced off with the Sooners in the day's final bout, but couldn't hold off Oklahoma and its five ranked wrestlers as OU tallied the 29-7 win.
Against the Sooners, Gomez and Murphy were responsible for MSU's seven points. With his second major decision of the day and sixth of the year, Gomez beat No. 16 Brian Shelton, 9-1. The match opened with a scoreless first period, but Gomez quickly put himself ahead 3-0 with three near fall points after Shelton chose to begin the second period down. Going into the third, Gomez chose down but quickly escaped; he then put up two points with a takedown at 1:18, holding onto Shelton until the Sooner managed to escape with 27 seconds left. After the buzzer, Gomez's 2:56 riding time gave him his final point.
With his 174-pound win over Jeff James, Murphy extended his record to 19-10 overall and 4-3 in duals. There was no scoring in the first and only an OU escape in the second as Murphy entered the final period down 1-0. With the strategic move to start down, Murphy escaped eight seconds into the period and tied the match 1-1, then tallied a takedown with 27 seconds left. Building the riding time to just over a minute, Murphy clinched the match 4-1.
The Spartans have a week break before returning home to open Big Ten wrestling action in Jenison Field House. MSU kicks off Big Ten action Friday, Jan. 25, hosting defending national champion Minnesota at 7 p.m., and continue conference play on Sunday, Jan. 27, welcoming Purdue for a 1 p.m. dual.
#20 Pittsburgh def. Michigan State, 21-14Norman, Okla. • Howard McCasland Field House
Wt: Wrestlers, Bout score; Overall score149: Joe Ciampoli (PITT) dec. Tim Hammer (MSU), 5-3; PITT leads 3-0157: No. 4 Matt Kocher (PITT) Tech. Fall. John Fulger (MSU), 17-2; PITT leads 8-0165: Rex Kendle (MSU) dec. Sean Richmond (PITT), 4-2; PITT leads 8-3174: #1 Kevin Gavin (PITT) dec. John Murphy (MSU), 9-4; PITT leads 11-3184: David Sullivan (PITT) dec. Nick Palmieri (MSU), 4-2; PITT leads 14-3197: #18 Joe Williams (MSU) maj. dec. David Crowell (PITT), 11-2; PITT leads 14-7285: #11 Zach Sheaffer (PITT) dec. Alan O'Donnell (MSU), 10-3; PITT leads 17-7125: Joel Trombly (MSU) dec. Ryan Bosso (PITT), 6-0; PITT leads 17-10133: #3 Franklin Gomez (MSU) maj. dec. Jimmy Conroy (PITT), 13-4; PITT leads 17-14141: Drew Headlee (PITT) maj. dec. Micah Carter (MSU), 12-1; PITT clinches 21-14
#18 Oklahoma def. Michigan State, 29-7Norman, Okla. • Howard McCasland Field House
Wt: Wrestlers, Bout score; Overall score125: Joey Fio (OU) maj. dec. Joel Trombly (MSU), 15-6; OU leads 4-0133: #3 Franklin Gomez (MSU) maj. dec. (MSU) No. 18 Brian Shelton (OU), 9-1; Tied 4-4141: #12 Zack Bailey (OU) tech. fall Micah Carter (MSU), 17-0; OU leads 9-4149: #8 Will Rowe (OU) maj. dec. Tim Hammer (MSU), 18-9; OU leads 13-4157: Chad Terry (OU) dec. John Fulger (MSU), 7-2; OU leads 16-4165: #14 Max Dean (OU) maj. dec. Rex Kendle (MSU), 15-5; OU leads 20-4174: John Murphy (MSU) dec. Jeff James (OU), 4-1; OU leads 20-7184: #7 Joshua Weitzel (OU) dec. Nick Palmieri (MSU), 9-2; OU leads 23-7197: #5 Joel Flaggert (OU) dec. #18 Joe Williams (MSU), 3-2; OU leads 26-7285: Nathan Fernandez (OU) dec. Alan O'Donnell (MSU), 5-2; OU clinches 29-7
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