<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Top-ranked OklahomaState heavyweight Steve Mocco posted a 12-2 major decision over Nebraska’s Mitch Manstedt, allowing the undefeated and No.1 Cowboys to escape Lincoln with a 19-18 victory on Thursday night. The win at heavyweight capped an OSU comeback after Nebraska took a seven-point lead into the final four matches before a crowd of 3,442 fans at the Nebraska Coliseum.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
The final outcome of the Big 12 Conference dual remains in doubt, pending a decision by the NCAA Rules Committee. There is a debate as to whether an additional penalty point should have been awarded in the 184-pound match between Nebraska’s Travis Pascoe and OklahomaState’s Clay Kehrer. Pascoe dominated the dual for an apparent 11-4 decision, but an additional point would have resulted in a major decision for Pascoe, pushing the dual into a 19-19 tie.
Regardless of Friday’s ruling, the large crowd at the Coliseum was treated to an outstanding dual. OklahomaState was in position to rally for victory after a key win by No. 1 Jake Rosholt at 197 pounds. Rosholt trailed Nebraska’s B.J. Padden 2-1 before scoring a takedown with 15 seconds remaining in the second period. Rosholt rode Padden for the entire third period to erase Padden’s riding time advantage and score the decision, pulling the Cowboys within 18-15.
The Cowboys, who improved to 18-0 on the year, were forced to rally from behind because of an inspired Nebraska effort. The Huskers won five of the night’s first eight matches and surged to a 15-8 lead after 165 pounds and an 18-12 edge after Pascoe’s victory at 184 pounds.
Nebraska Coach Mark Manning said regardless of the outcome he is satisfied with the effort of his sixth-ranked Huskers, as well as the electric atmosphere.
“I want to thank the crowd for coming out tonight,” Manning said. “They really had a big impact in the match, but our wrestlers really got the crowd into it. I am really proud of our team. They fought hard and laid it all out there. Regardless of the outcome, I look at the effort of our team and our guys wrestled great.”
OSU’s 19-18 victory capped a dual that featured five leads changes and saw each team win five individual matches. The Huskers’ 18 points is the most an opponent has scored this season against OklahomaState, who held 10 of its first 17 dual victims to single-digit point totals.
Nebraska put the first points of the evening on the board, as eighth-ranked 125-pounder Matt Keller posted a 4-2 decision over OSU’s Derrick Stevens. Keller scored a takedown in the first period and controlled the match. OSU countered with a 13-5 major decision from No. 10 Nathan Morgan at 133 pounds to grab a 4-3 lead after two matches.
At 141 pounds, Nebraska’s Matt Murray used a third-period rally to defeat Daniel Frishkorn, 9-4. The sixth-ranked Murray trailed 3-2 entering the final period, but scored a pair of takedowns and three near-fall points to take control of the match.
Zack Esposito, the first of OSU’s four top-ranked wrestlers to take the mat, dominated Nebraska’s David Ingalls at 149 pounds, posting a 25-9 technical fall to give OklahomaState an 8-6 edge.
Husker senior B.J. Wright energized the Husker crowd with a pin of Kevin Ward at 157 pounds. Wright, the 13th-ranked wrestler at his weight class, took a 5-3 lead into the third period, getting the pin 6:23 into his match with No. 19 Ward, putting Nebraska in front 12-8.
The momentum continued into the next match as ninth-ranked Jacob Klein upended No. 3 Johny Hendricks, 5-4, at 165 pounds. The two wrestlers were tied 2-2 heading into the third period. After a Klein escape, the Husker junior scored a key takedown with 1:21 remaining to take a 5-2 advantage, and held on for a 5-4 victory. The win gave Nebraska the biggest lead for either team on the evening at 15-8.
OSU’s top-ranked Chris Pendleton fought off a strong effort from Nebraska’s Marc Harwood at 174 pounds to post a 17-8 major decision. Nebraska pushed its lead back to six points at 18-12, on the strength of Pascoe’s disputed 11-4 decision. Pascoe was awarded two points in the dual for illegal holds by Kehrer, but the controversy is whether the second illegal hold should have resulted in two points being awarded to Pascoe.
#1 OklahomaState 19, #6 Nebraska 18
125?#8 Matt Keller, NU, dec. Derrick Stevens, OSU, 4-2
133?#10 Nathan Morgan, OSU maj. dec. Dominick Moyer, OSU, 13-5
141?#6 Matt Murray, NU dec. #18 Daniel Frishkorn, OSU, 9-4
149?#1 Zack Esposito, OSU tech. fall over David Ingalls, NU, 25-9 (6:13)
157?#13 B.J. Wright, NU pinned #19 Kevin Ward, OSU, 6:23
165?#9 Jacob Klein, NU dec. #3 Johny Hendricks, OSU, 5-4
174?#1 Chris Pendleton, OSU maj. dec. Marc Harwood, NU, 17-8
184?#2 Travis Pascoe, NU dec. Clay Kehrer, OSU, 11-4
197?#1 Jake Rosholt, OSU dec. #17 B.J. Padden, NU, 3-2
Hwt?#1 Steve Mocco, OSU maj dec. Mitch Manstedt, NU, 12-2
Referee: Cody Olsen
Attendance: 3,442