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Eagles Use Dramatics to Win Battle of
Unbeatens
A more
dramatic script couldn�t have been written for the final bout of Tuesday�s
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference dual match between
UW-Stevens Point and UW-La Crosse.
With each
team�s best wrestler on the mat and the decisive final match in overtime,
it was UW-La Crosse heavyweight Ryan Allen who recorded a takedown of Mike
Hayes to give the Eagles a 21-16 victory in a matchup of previously
undefeated conference opponents.
It marked the
Eagles� 17th straight WIAC dual win as the nation�s fifth-ranked team
improved to 41-1 in their last 42 conference duals with the only loss
coming two years ago in Stevens Point. UW-Stevens Point is ranked 17th in
the country and fell to 9-7 overall for the season and 4-1 in the WIAC.
Allen, ranked
second nationally, and Hayes, ranked fourth nationally, each had 13-match
winning streaks entering their showdown. Each wrestler managed escapes
early in the second and third periods, but neither was able to record a
takedown. Allen had the better of chances to score in regulation, but
quick defensive moves by Hayes prevented a takedown. However, 25 seconds
into overtime, Allen gained control of Hayes� leg and was able to drag him
down at the edge of the mat.
Allen, the
two-time defending NCAA Division III champion with a 153-14 career record,
improved to 33-5 this season. He is now 9-0 all-time against Hayes, who
fell to 18-2 this year with his other loss coming 4-3 to Allen at the UW-Parkside
Open.
UW-Stevens
Point picked up a momentum surge in the first match at 125 pounds when
Jake Calhoun rallied from a 4-1 first period deficit and recorded a third
period pin to put the Pointers ahead 6-0. UW-La Crosse bounced back at 133
pounds when Kevin Barber recorded a first period pin to tie the match.
The Pointers
regained the lead when Joel Burdick posted a 13-1 win at 141 pounds for a
10-6 advantage. UW-La Crosse won the next three matches, but only by
decisions as Jake Larsen at 149 pounds, Ross Needham at 157 pounds and
Scott Dorn at 165 pounds all had three-point wins.
Al
Stacilauskas brought the Pointers back to within 15-13 with a 6-3 win at
174 pounds. However, UW-La Crosse�s Jason Lulloff, ranked second
nationally at 184 pounds, rallied from a first period takedown by
UW-Stevens Point�s Craig Bollig to post a 5-2 victory.
Mitch Szwet
set up the heavyweight showdown with a win at 197 pounds to bring the
Pointers to within 18-16 entering the final match. Szwet trailed most of
the match, but recorded a third period takedown against Jim Swanson and
rode him for over a minute to end the match and gain the riding time point
for a 4-3 victory.
125 �
Jake Calhoun (SP)
pinned Pat Parrillo 5:54
133 �
Kevin
Barber (LC) pinned Jered Kern 2:32
141
� Joel
Burdick (SP) major dec. Mike Rohowetz 13-1
149
� Jake
Larsen (LC) dec. Kyle Mueller 10-6
157
� Ross Needham (LC) dec. Chris Brown 4-2
165
� Scott
Dorn (LC) dec. Ed Wynimko 6-3
174
� Al
Stacilauskas (SP) dec. Josh Zabel 6-3
184
� Jason Lulloff (LC) dec. Craig Bollig 5-2
197
� Mitch Szwet (SP) dec. Jim Swanson 4-3
285 �
Ryan
Allen (LC) dec. Mike Hayes 3-1 OT |
