Nov. 20, 2009
TEMPE - In a dual that saw all 10 matches tightly contested, the No. 20 Arizona State University wrestling team was only able to win three and fell on the road to No. 4 Oklahoma State, 21-9, Friday evening inside Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla. The loss dropped the Sun Devils to 2-1 overall in the season (2-0 Pac-10) while the host Cowboys improved to 1-0 following their first dual of the year.
The dual opened at 165 pounds where Kyle DeBerry dropped a close 6-3 decision to No. 19 Alex Meade. Trailing 3-0 in the team standings, Eric Starks picked up a win for the Sun Devils and tied the team score at 3-3 as he defeated Chris McNeil, 5-1. Starks was up 2-0 with a takedown just 15 seconds into the match and reversed McNeil to start the second to hold a 4-1 lead heading into the final stanza. There, he rode out his opponent and collected one more point for his 4:01 of riding time accumulated.
The Cowboys would regain and then retain the lead for good as they won three matches in a row. First, at 184 pounds, Jake Meredith took a 2-1 lead through the first period before being he couldn’t escape to start the second period. His opponent, No. 9 Clayton Foster, would escape, take down Meredith and add a riding time point to win the decision, 5-2. At 197 pounds, true freshman Anthony Pike made his collegiate debut and fell to No. 11 Alan Gelogaev, 8-2.
The third win in a row for OSU came at heavyweight as No. 3 Jake Rosholt defeated Erik Nye, 2-0. Jumping into the light weights, No. 3 Anthony Robles rode out his foe, No. 8 Chris Notte, in the second period to keep the score tied at zero through two periods before using an escape in the third period and the riding time point for a 2-0 decision win.
At 133 pounds, Ben Ashmore, who competed for OSU before transferring into the Sun Devil program last year, made his return to Stillwater and lost a heart-breaking decision to No. 11 Jordan Oliver, 4-2, in overtime. Ashmore held a 2-0 lead through the first period on a takedown, but was rode out in the second. In the third, a technical violation was called on Ashmore to make it 2-1 before Oliver was awarded one point for riding time after accumulating 1:01 in the match. The match came a close with just five seconds remaining in the overtime session as Oliver was awarded a takedown to hand Ashmore his first loss of the year.
ASU rebounded at 141 as No. 5 Chris Drouin defeated No. 11 Jamal Parks, 4-1, giving the visitors two victories in the only two head-to-head contests between nationally ranked wrestlers. After a scoreless first, Drouin opened with an escape and then a takedown and was ahead 3-1 through two. In the final period, Drouin rode out Parks and earned the riding time point for the 4-1 win. In the last two matches of the night, No. 17 Albert White defeated Vicente Varela, 10-5, at 149 and No. 10 Neil Erisman handed Te Edwards a 12-5 setback at 157 pounds.
The Sun Devils will close out their season-opening four-dual road trip on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT as they travel to Norman, Okla., to take on the No. 16 Sooners of Oklahoma (1-0).
#4 Oklahoma State def. #20 Arizona State, 21-9
Gallagher-Iba Arena • Stillwater, Okla.
165 - #19 Alex Meade (OS) dec. Kyle DeBerry, 6-3
174 - Eric Starks (AS) dec. Chris McNeil, 5-1
184 - #9 Clayton Foster (OS) dec. Jake Meredith, 5-2
197 - #11 Alan Gelogaev (OS) dec. Anthony Pike, 8-2
285 - #3 Jared Rosholt (OS) dec. Erik Nye, 2-0
125 - #3 Anthony Robles (AS) dec. #8 Chris Notte, 2-0
133 - #11 Jordan Oliver (OS) dec. Ben Ashmore, 4-2 sv
141 - #5 Chris Drouin (AS) dec. #11 Jamal Parks, 4-1
149 - #17 Albert White (OS) dec. Vicente Varela, 10-5
157 - #10 Neil Erisman (OS) dec. Te Edwards, 12-5