First Session in the Books

PITTSBURGH - Redshirt sophomore Nathan Traxler picked up a win to lead Stanford during the opening session of the NCAA Championships, Thursday, at PPG Paints Arena.

Traxler, the No. 8 seed in the 197 pound bracket, posted a 7-3 decision over Clarion's Greg Bulsak in the first round. Leading 2-0 after one, Traxler chose neutral to start the second period, where he registered another takedown before yielding an escape. Bulsak cut the lead in half with an escape to start the third period, but Traxler secured another takedown and tacked on a riding time point in the win. Traxler advances to meet 24th-seeded Jake Jakobsen of Lehigh, who upset No. 9 seed Benjamin Honis of Cornel, in the second round on Thursday evening.

Redshirt sophomore Requir van der Merwe, seeded 14th, came up short, 8-6, in the second sudden victory period against 19th-seeded Cole Martin of Wisconsin at 149 pounds. van der Merwe scored a pair of takedowns in the first period, but gave up a reversal to hold a 4-3 lead after one. van der Merwe earned the escape in the second to go up 5-3 heading into the final period of regulation. Martin chose down and tallied an escape and a takedown, but van der Merwe was able to escape and the score remained tied, 6-6, after three.

van der Merwe was in deep on a shot in the first sudden victory period, but the takedown was not awarded after a coach's challenge by the Cardinal. Neither wrestler was able to escape in the first set of tiebreakers. Martin ended it in the second sudden victory period with a double-leg takedown. van der Merwe will be back in action in the wrestlebacks against 32nd-seeded Tanner Smith of Chattanooga.

At 125 pounds, No. 20 seed Gabriel Townsell was shut out, 6-0, by the 13 seed Drew Hildebrandt of Central Michigan. There was no score in the opening period and Hildebrandt chose down to start the second. He scored an escape and a takedown in the second. Townsell went down to start the third and Hildebrandt notched two near fall points and finished with riding time in the win. Townsell dropped into the wrestlebacks and will next face 29 seed Christian Moody of Oklahoma.

Redshirt senior Mason Pengilly drew the No. 2 seed Stevan Micic of Michigan in the opening round. Micic held a 4-3 advantage going into the second period after Pengilly scored a reversal as time wound down in the first. Trailing 8-5 going into the final frame, Pengilly gave up three more takedowns and Micic tacked on riding time in the 15-7 major decision. Pengilly will take on 18th-seeded Gary Wayne Harding of North Carolina in the consolation bracket.

Wrestling in his first NCAA Tournament, heavyweight Haydn Maley fell to ninth-seeded Matt Stencel of Central Michigan, 5-2. The redshirt freshman was undersized against the Chippewa, but showed fight in the bout. With no score in the first, Stencel had to use injury time and Maley chose to go neutral after the break. Stencel scored his first takedown late in the opening period, but Maley earned the escape and trailed 2-1 after one.

Stencel went down to start the second, posting the escape for a 3-1 lead after two. Maley again chose neutral to begin the final frame and cut the lead to one as Stencel was hit for stalling. After Maley was in on a shot, Stencel countered and scored his final takedown in the win. Maley will meet 25th-seeded Gannon Gremmel of Iowa State in the wrestlebacks.

All five Cardinal will be in action during Thursday's evening session, which begins at 4 p.m. PT on ESPN. All eight mats will also be streamed live on the WatchESPN app.
 

#17 (20) Gabriel Townsell, 125 pounds | 0-1

(31) Mason Pengilly, 133 pounds | 0-1

#15 (14) Requir van der Merwe, 149 pounds | 0-1

#9 (8) Nathan Traxler, 197 pounds | 1-0

(24) Haydn Maley, 285 pounds | 0-1