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Cardinal Suffers Tough Loss At Oregon State, 24-15
Feb. 3, 2008
Corvallis, Ore. - In a hotly contested dual at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Ore., the Cardinal wrestling team suffered its third loss of the year at the hands of the Oregon State Beavers, 24-15. Stanford held the lead for the better part of the dual, but lost four of the final five bouts to allow the defending Pac-10 Champion to come out on top. Stanford falls to 11-3 overall and 4-2 in the Pac-10 with the loss. Tanner Gardner (32-1) earned the Cardinal a quick five points in the first match, as the sixth-ranked senior overwhelmed the Beavers' Jake Gonzales at 125 pounds. Gardner put Gonzales on his back in each of the first two periods, and finished with a 17-2 technical fall. With his 134th career victory, the two-time All-American moved within four wins of the Stanford career win record. Cardinal freshman Porfirio Madrigal (8-9) boosted the Stanford lead to 8-0 with his third career dual win at 133 pounds. Madrigal scored a quick takedown to take an early lead on Beaver sophomore Clifton Ivanoff, then built on his advantage in the third period for a 6-1 decision. Oregon State finally got on the board in the 141-pound bout, as Beaver junior Heinrich Barnes earned an 18-2 technical fall on freshman Max Rosefigura (12-10). Senior Kyle Larson erased the Stanford lead with a 7-1 decision at 149 pounds, ending freshman Lucas Espericueta's (22-8) career-best eight match winning streak. Senior Josh Zupancic (30-5) answered for Stanford at 157 pounds, posting a 14-5 major decision to secure his second consecutive 30-win season. Zupancic, the nation's tenth-ranked 157-pounder, scored three takedowns in the second period to major his fourth opponent in as many tries.
With Stanford in front 12-8, 2007 Pac-10 placer Keegan Davis cut the Stanford lead to one with a 9-2 decision over Cardinal sophomore Peter Miller (14-11). The Beavers took their first lead of the day at 174 pounds, when freshman Chris Platt blew a close match wide open in the final seconds and bested Stanford's Luke Feist (10-9), 9-3. In a highly charged match at 184 pounds, sophomore Zack Giesen (21-6) battled Oregon State's Neal Beaudry. In the final seconds of the bout, Giesen put Beaudry on his back to earn a 13-4 major decision, but was called for unsportsmanlike conduct and a team point was subtracted from the Stanford tally.The win was the 50th of the sophomore's career. The Cardinal maintained a 15-14 lead heading into the 197-pound bout, but 2007 NCAA qualifier Kyle Bressler handed Jake Johnson (22-9) just his second dual loss of the year, 13-5. The Beavers sealed the win in the heavyweight bout, when Travis Gardner pinned Phillip Doerner (16-16) in the second minute of the match (1:20). Stanford will continue Pac-10 dual action on Friday, when the squad takes on the Cal Poly Mustangs in San Luis Obispo at 7 p.m. The team returns home on Sunday for its Senior Day dual against the nationally-ranked Cal State Fullerton Titans. Sunday's action begins at 1 p.m. in Burnham Pavilion. Stanford 15, Oregon State 24 |
