Strong Lightweight Performances Gives Southern Oregon A Scare
FOREST GROVE – A series of excellent performances from Pacific's lightweights gave No. 3 (NAIA) ranked Southern Oregon a scare before the Raiders took control late in the match to beat the Boxers 29-18 in both team's final men's wrestling dual of the 2011-12 season at the Stoller Center.
Southern Oregon Head Coach Mike Ritchey elected to leave eight of his regular starters at home in Ashland, and Pacific came to the mat charged to mount a potential upset. The Boxers won the first three matches of the night, including a forfeit and a pin by
Eric Harder (Fr., Bethesda, Md.).
Caleb Malychewski (So., Camas, Wash.) earned his 20th win of the season with a come-from-behind victory at 174 pounds.
Experience, however, proved the difference late as the Raiders won five of the final six matches. Travis Patrick, Austin Vanderford and Bubba Owens all earned first round pins and the Raiders earned bonus points in five of their wins.
Where they have been a weak spot for the Boxers much of the season, the lightweights did their part to put Pacific in the driver's seat. Harder had early control over Jordan Lowe at 133 pounds and led 4-2 after two rounds. The two grapplers traded reversals early in the third round before Harder turned Lowe for his 12th victory and fifth pin of the season.
Baxter followed with a grinding victory at 141 pounds over Woong Kim. Neither wrestler scored in the first period and traded single points in the second. Choosing the down position in the third round, Baxter succeeded in a reversal midway through the period and held on for the 4-1 win.
Patrick started Southern Oregon's trek back with his pin at 149 pounds and Dalton Urrutia added four points with his 16-5 major decision over
Michael Tyner (Fr., Aloha, Ore.). Urrutia nearly gave it up at the end, though, as Tyner pulled an escape with 15 seconds left and shocked Urrutia with a quick takedown and a two-point nearfall, coming so close to a sudden pin that would have changed the entire match.
Derek Mestrovich brought SOU to within 15-13 with his 13-10 decision over
Bruce Balcita (So., Myrtle Creek, Ore.) at 165 before Malychewski came back from a 4-1 first period deficit to score an escape and a takedown in the third period for a 7-6 decision over Tucker Van Matre.
Vanderford, one of the two Raiders' starters to make the trip, gave Southern Oregon the lead with a first round pin of
Andrew Bolton (Fr., Anacortes, Wash.). Derek Rottenberg added a major decision at 197 pounds over Wes Heredia (Fr., Keizer, Ore.) and starter Owens capped the match with a first round pin of Will Ulrich (Fr., Lake Elsinore, Calif.).
Pacific finishes the dual season with 3-9 record. Southern Oregon finishes at 11-3.
Tonight's match was the last dual of the season for both teams. Pacific will now gear up for the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional, which takes place on Sat., Feb. 25 at Si Melby Hall on the campus of Augsburg College in Minneapolis. Southern Oregon will host the NAIA Western Qualifier tournament on Sat., Feb. 18.
NO. 3 SOUTHERN OREGON 29, PACIFIC 18
125:
Ian Hockett (PAC) win by forfeit (6-0 PAC)
133:
Eric Harder (PAC) win by fall over Jordan Lowe (SOU), 5:47 (12-0 PAC)
141:
Ryan Baxter (PAC) dec. Woong Kim (SOU), 4-1 (15-0 PAC)
149: Travis Patrick (SOU) win by fall over
Ricky Ridela (PAC), 1:08 (15-6 PAC)
157: Dalton Urrutia (SOU) maj. dec.
Michael Tyner (PAC), 16-5 (15-10 PAC)
165: Derek Mestrovich (SOU) dec.
Bruce Balcita (PAC), 13-10 (15-13 PAC)
174:
Caleb Malychewski (PAC) dec. Tucker Van Matre (SOU), 7-6 (18-13 PAC)
184: Austin Vanderford (SOU) win by fall over
Andrew Bolton (PAC), 1:30 (19-18 SOU)
197: Derek Rottenberg (SOU) maj. dec. Wes Heredia (PAC), 11-0 (23-18 SOU)
285: Bubba Owens (SOU) win by fall over Will Ulrich (PAC), 1:24 (29-18 SOU)
Official: Tommy Kennedy Attendance: 100
