Nebraska-Omaha Takes Early Lead at NCAA II Wrestli
OMAHA, Neb. -- Paced by four opening-round pins, the second-ranked University of Nebraska at Omaha wrestling team took the early lead after the opening round of the 2005 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships being held at the Lee and Helene Sapp Fieldhouse on the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus.
Nebraska-Omaha scored 16 opening-round points to take a four-point lead over top-ranked Augustana which notched 12 points. Both Nebraska-Omaha and Augustana had eight wrestlers win matches in the opening round. Findlay is in third place with 11.5 points, followed by Pittsburgh-Johnstown at 8 and Minnesota State, Mankato and Nebraska-Kearney who both scored 7 points.
At 125 pounds, six of the eight ranked wrestlers advanced. Unranked Rob McCabe of Ashland State upset fifth-ranked Nick Smith of Minnesota State, Mankato, 6-4. Eighth-ranked Ricky Randazzo of Mercyhurst beat sixth-ranked Chonci Houston of Carson-Newman to advance to the quarterfinals.
Two-time All-American Adam Keiswetter of Nebraska-Kearney was defeated by unranked Mike Hansen of Central Missouri State, 3-1, in opening round action at 133 pounds. Mike Mossor of West Libery State scored a 10-1 major decision over eight-ranked Scott Ahlf of Minnesota State, Moorhead. Top-ranked Curry Pickard of North Carolina-Pembroke cruised to a 19-6 win over Justin Bohlke of Augustana to advance to the quarterfinals.
Five of the eight matches at 141 pounds were decided by either major decision or by falls. Top-ranked Donald Lockett of San Francisco State scored a major decision with a 17-6 win over Brandon Monin of Gannon. Defending national champion Merrick Meyer of Truman State won by forfeit over Brandon Girtz of Minnesota State, Mankato. Nebraska-Omaha's Eli Dominguez and Mercyhurst's Don Cummings both pinned their first round opponents.
Seven of the eight ranked wrestlers at 149 pounds were victorious in the first round. Shea Timothy of Central Oklahoma scored the lone upset with an 8-4 decision over eighth-ranked Ryan Ickes of Pittsburgh-Johnstown. Top-ranked Ryan King won by major decision, 13-5 over Pat True of Nebraska-Kearney. Second-ranked Shane Unger of Nebraska-Omaha decided Anthony Aragon of Adams State, 5-2, to advance to the quarterfinals.
There were no upsets at 157 pounds as all ranked wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals. Top-ranked David Nordhues of Fort Hays State defeated Pete Carnabuci of Adams State, 8-3. Angelo Vettese of Findlay, Mitch Napier of Indianapolis, and Patrick Allibone of Nebraska-Omaha all won by falls in their first round matches.
At 165 pounds,top-ranked J.D. Naig pinned his opening round opponent, Cort Peterson of Central Oklahoma in 2:25. Rockie Stavn of Minnesota State, Moorhead collected the lone upset at 165 with a 2-1 decision over sixth-ranked Eric Lakia of Ashland.
In the biggest upset of the first round, unranked Eli Garshnick of Pittsburgh-Johnstown scored an escape in the first overtime tiebreaker session to pull out an 8-7 win over second-ranked Tom Bauer of Ashland at 174 pounds.
There were no upsets in opening round action at 184 pounds. Two-time defending national champion Tom Meester of Augustana scored a major decision with a 12-3 win over Mark Murphy of Shippensburg.
There was only one upset at 197 pounds with unranked John Goral of Wisconsin-Parkside earning a 5-4 decision over fourth-ranked Josh Janousek of Minnesota State, Mankato. Top-ranked Plamen Paskalev of Central Missouri State deated Nebraska-Omaha's Ben Strandberg, 14-8. Defending national champion Jeff Sylvester pinned Daryl Scott of Anderson College in 5:36.
Les Sigman of Nebraska-Omaha, the two-time defending national champion at heavyweight, pinned Heath Soderstrom of Adams State in 6:13. Unranked Justin Tazzi of Findlay scored the fastest fall of the opening round when he pinned eighth-ranked Zach Majocha of Pittsburgh-Johnstown in 1:47.
The quarterfinal round and consolation round wrestle backs will begin tonight at 6 p.m. in the Sapp Fieldhouse on the UNO campus.
Nebraska-Omaha scored 16 opening-round points to take a four-point lead over top-ranked Augustana which notched 12 points. Both Nebraska-Omaha and Augustana had eight wrestlers win matches in the opening round. Findlay is in third place with 11.5 points, followed by Pittsburgh-Johnstown at 8 and Minnesota State, Mankato and Nebraska-Kearney who both scored 7 points.
At 125 pounds, six of the eight ranked wrestlers advanced. Unranked Rob McCabe of Ashland State upset fifth-ranked Nick Smith of Minnesota State, Mankato, 6-4. Eighth-ranked Ricky Randazzo of Mercyhurst beat sixth-ranked Chonci Houston of Carson-Newman to advance to the quarterfinals.
Two-time All-American Adam Keiswetter of Nebraska-Kearney was defeated by unranked Mike Hansen of Central Missouri State, 3-1, in opening round action at 133 pounds. Mike Mossor of West Libery State scored a 10-1 major decision over eight-ranked Scott Ahlf of Minnesota State, Moorhead. Top-ranked Curry Pickard of North Carolina-Pembroke cruised to a 19-6 win over Justin Bohlke of Augustana to advance to the quarterfinals.
Five of the eight matches at 141 pounds were decided by either major decision or by falls. Top-ranked Donald Lockett of San Francisco State scored a major decision with a 17-6 win over Brandon Monin of Gannon. Defending national champion Merrick Meyer of Truman State won by forfeit over Brandon Girtz of Minnesota State, Mankato. Nebraska-Omaha's Eli Dominguez and Mercyhurst's Don Cummings both pinned their first round opponents.
Seven of the eight ranked wrestlers at 149 pounds were victorious in the first round. Shea Timothy of Central Oklahoma scored the lone upset with an 8-4 decision over eighth-ranked Ryan Ickes of Pittsburgh-Johnstown. Top-ranked Ryan King won by major decision, 13-5 over Pat True of Nebraska-Kearney. Second-ranked Shane Unger of Nebraska-Omaha decided Anthony Aragon of Adams State, 5-2, to advance to the quarterfinals.
There were no upsets at 157 pounds as all ranked wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals. Top-ranked David Nordhues of Fort Hays State defeated Pete Carnabuci of Adams State, 8-3. Angelo Vettese of Findlay, Mitch Napier of Indianapolis, and Patrick Allibone of Nebraska-Omaha all won by falls in their first round matches.
At 165 pounds,top-ranked J.D. Naig pinned his opening round opponent, Cort Peterson of Central Oklahoma in 2:25. Rockie Stavn of Minnesota State, Moorhead collected the lone upset at 165 with a 2-1 decision over sixth-ranked Eric Lakia of Ashland.
In the biggest upset of the first round, unranked Eli Garshnick of Pittsburgh-Johnstown scored an escape in the first overtime tiebreaker session to pull out an 8-7 win over second-ranked Tom Bauer of Ashland at 174 pounds.
There were no upsets in opening round action at 184 pounds. Two-time defending national champion Tom Meester of Augustana scored a major decision with a 12-3 win over Mark Murphy of Shippensburg.
There was only one upset at 197 pounds with unranked John Goral of Wisconsin-Parkside earning a 5-4 decision over fourth-ranked Josh Janousek of Minnesota State, Mankato. Top-ranked Plamen Paskalev of Central Missouri State deated Nebraska-Omaha's Ben Strandberg, 14-8. Defending national champion Jeff Sylvester pinned Daryl Scott of Anderson College in 5:36.
Les Sigman of Nebraska-Omaha, the two-time defending national champion at heavyweight, pinned Heath Soderstrom of Adams State in 6:13. Unranked Justin Tazzi of Findlay scored the fastest fall of the opening round when he pinned eighth-ranked Zach Majocha of Pittsburgh-Johnstown in 1:47.
The quarterfinal round and consolation round wrestle backs will begin tonight at 6 p.m. in the Sapp Fieldhouse on the UNO campus.
