Jan. 4, 2008
Philadelphia, Pa. - The Cardinal wrestling team (3-0) won its first of two duals this afternoon, besting the Drexel Dragons, 24-12, at the Daskalakis Athletic Center in Philadelphia today. Senior 157-pounder Josh Zupancic highlighted the day with a 4-2 overtime upset of eighth-ranked All-American Ryan Hluschak of Drexel and the Cardinal came away with its third consecutive dual meet victory.
Tanner Gardner started the afternoon for the Cardinal, winning a tough fight at 125 pounds to give Stanford a 4-0 lead. The senior scored a late reversal and near fall to break the bout open and secure a major decision over 2007 NCAA qualifier Steve Mytych. The win improves sixth-ranked Gardner to 21-1 on the year.
The Dragons battled back to take the lead, however, claiming a pair of close decisions at 133 pounds and 141 pounds to go ahead 6-4. Wrestling in their first collegiate dual matches, true freshmen Blair Matsuura (1-6) and Max Rosefigura (7-3) fell 6-3 and 5-4 to Drexel's Billy Martin and Morgan Remillard, respectively.
Redshirt freshman Lucas Espericueta (14-6) then answered for Stanford, dominating Drexel's Andrew Walmsley, 16-4, to put Stanford back in front, 8-6.
In the most anticipated bout of the afternoon, 16th-ranked Zupancic (20-5) upended eighth-ranked Hluschak at 157 pounds. The bout, a rematch of last year's NCAA seventh place match, was a battle from the start, and, like last year's meeting, was decided in overtime. Zupancic escaped, then scored a takedown in the final seconds of the third overtime period to secure the upset, 4-2. The win was the 20th of the season for the Cardinal senior, securing his fourth consecutive 20-win season.
Stanford's five-point lead was cut to two after the Dragons' William Haydt earned a 6-3 win over Peter Miller (9-5) at 165 pounds. Scott Hunter then bested Stanford's Luke Feist (3-4), 9-6, at 174 pounds to put Drexel back on top, 12-11.
Sophomore Zack Giesen (14-5) turned things around, however, outlasting Drexel's Justin Wieller, 6-2, at 184 pounds. Giesen took an early lead and held on, giving Stanford a 14-12 lead heading into the 197-pound bout.
Jake Johnson then won a crucial match at 197 pounds, getting a late takedown to earn a 10-2 major decision over the Dragons' Kyle Frey.
With Stanford ahead 18-12, Drexel forfeited the heavyweight bout and Stanford came away with its third consecutive dual victory, 24-12.
The Cardinal will head to Bethlehem, Pa. tonight to meet the Lehigh Mountain Hawks in a dual set for 7 p.m. On Sunday, Stanford will meet East Stroudsburg, Princeton and Wagner to finish out the weekend.
Stanford 24, Drexel 12
125 - No. 6 Tanner Gardner (S) maj. dec. Steve Mytych (D), 8-0
133 - Billy Martin (D) dec. Blair Matsuura (S), 6-3
141 - Morgan Remillard dec. Max Rosefigura (D), 5-4
149 - Lucas Espericueta (S) maj. dec. Andrew Walmsley (D), 16-4
157 - No. 16 Josh Zupancic (S) dec. No. 8 Ryan Hluschak (D), 4-2
165 - William Haydt (D) dec. Peter Miller (S), 6-3
174 - Scott Hunter (D) dec. Luke Feist (S), 9-6
184 - Zack Giesen (S) dec. Justin Wieller (D), 6-2
197 - Jake Johnson (S) maj. dec. Kyle Frey (D), 10-2
HWT - Phillip Doerner (S) win by def. Bryant Deinhardt (D)
Exb. (174) - Dave Woodall (D) tech. fall Alex Muller (S), 19-3