No. 18 Oregon State Finishes Regular Season With Dual Meet Sweep

Salem-News.com SPORTS

CORVALLIS - On “Senior Day” at Gill Coliseum, the No. 18 Oregon State University wrestling team concluded its regular season with a 31-13 victory over fellow Pac-10 member Stanford (6-7, 4-3 in Pac-10) and followed with a 29-11 win over North Dakota State (8-4).

The Beavers, who have won 30 of 32 duals vs. Stanford, finish the 2007 regular season with a 17-2 overall record (7-1 in Pac-10) and with their most wins in a year since 1986.

“Today was good competition going into the Pac-10 Conference Championships,” first-year head coach Jim Zalesky said. “We are a little bit beat up; we now have a chance to get healthy. We have two weeks to get ready for the conference meet.”

The Beavers fell behind to NDSU 11-3 after four matches, before winning the last six.

Freshman Keegan Davis started the match win streak with a 6-3 decision over Adam Aho at 157 pounds to close the gap to 11-6.

Brett Arand narrowed the Bison’s lead to one with a 14-0 major decision over Mike Quamme and No. 19 Jeremy Larson got the Beavers the lead for good with a pin of Warren Gall to make the score 19-11.

The match finished with Kyle Bressler at 184 scoring a 4-1 decision, Travis Gardner posted a technical fall at 197 10-0 and No. 6 ranked Ty Watterson earned his 10th consecutive win with a pin.

Oregon State dropped the first match of the day vs. Stanford, but then scored on its next three.

The Cardinal forfeited at 133, Eric Stevenson wrestled two weights up and earned a pin at 141, and Derek Kipperberg scored a decision at 149.

Travis Gardner had a pin in the second period at 197 to clinch the victory.

“I like the way Travis Gardner and Eric Stevenson are wrestling right now,” Zalesky said. “Overall the team is wresting well, we just need to shore up a couple of things in the next two weeks.”

Seniors making their final appearance in Beaver wrestling gear at Gill Coliseum were Bobby Pfennings, Jeremy Larson, Jamie Rakevich, Stevenson and Watterson.

In between the two matches Oregon State University honored former head coach Joe Wells.

Wells directed the program for 14 years and led the team to four NCAA top-10 finishes and was twice honored as the Pac-10 Coach of the Year.

The Beavers head to Bakersfield, Calif., for the conference championships Feb. 24th-25th.

NO. 18 OREGON STATE 31, STANFORD 13

125 -- Tanner Gardner, SU, pinned Jake Gonzales, OSU, 2:46; 133 -- Ryan Enoch OSU, by forfeit; 141 – Eric Stevenson, OSU, pinned Matt Kim, SU, 4:23 149 – Derek Kipperberg, OSU, dec. Tyler Parker, SU, 5-1; 157 -- Josh Zupancic, SU, maj. dec. Keegan Davis, OSU, 8-0; 165 – Brett Arand, OSU, dec. Scott Loescher, SU, 12-5; 174 – Jeremy Larson, OSU, maj. dec Luke Feist, SU, 10-1; 184 – Zach Geisen, SU, dec. Kyle Bressler, OSU, 6-2; 197 – Travis Gardner, OSU, pinned Jared Boyer, SU, 4:36; HWT – Jamie Rakevich, OSU, dec. Phillip Doerner, SU, 11-4.

NO. 18 OREGON STATE 29, NORTH DAKOTA STATE 11

125 – Eric Hoffman, NDSU, dec. Jake Gonzales, OSU, 8-2; 133 – Eric Stevenson, OSU, dec. Eric Standers, NDSU, 4-3; 141 – Gabe Mooney, NDSU, tech fall, Clifton Ivanoff, OSU, 17-2; 149 – Ryan Adams, NDSU, dec. Derek Kipperberg, OSU, 10-9; 157 –- Keegan Davis, OSU, dec. Adam Aho, NDSU, 6-3; 165 -- Brett Arand, OSU, maj. dec., Mike Quamme, NDSU, 14-0; 174 – Jeremy Larson, OSU, pinned Warren Gall, NDSU, 5:33; 184 -- Kyle Bressler, OSU, dec. Matt Herman, NDSU, 4-1; 197 – Travis Gardner, OSU, tech. fall, Jacob Bryce, NDSU, 10-0; HWT – Ty Watterson, OSU, pinned Justin LaGosh, NDSU, 2:49

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