Early Momentum Doesn't Hold As Boxers Fall To Raiders

Early Momentum Doesn't Hold As Boxers Fall To Raiders

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FOREST GROVE – Despite a win by Bruce Balcita (Sr., Myrtle Creek, Ore.) to open the night, Pacific could not build momentum against one of the top teams in the nation Friday as the Boxers fell 43-6 to NAIA powerhouse Southern Oregon in men's wrestling action at the Stoller Center.
 
Balcita proved to have the Boxers' most competitive match of the night as the dual opened at 165 pounds.  After falling behind 2-0 to Garrett Urrutia, Balcita charged back to score six points on an escape, takedown and near fall.  He held strong in the final two rounds, allowing just two escapes, to take the 10-5 victory and improve his overall record to 13-5 on the season.  It was Balcita's seventh consecutive victory.
 
From there, though, the No. 6 Raiders held firm control of the night with five wins by fall and a sixth by way of forfeit.  Brock Gutches, the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the NAIA at 174 pounds, started the run with a first round pin of Michael Tyner (Jr., Aloha, Ore.).  Caleb Malychewski (Sr., Camas, Wash.) tied it back up at 6-6 with his 15th victory of the season and his seventh straight win, a 4-3 decision over No. 6 ranked Jacob Abrams.
 
As it turned out, they were the last points Pacific scored on the evening as the Raiders went on to accept a forfeit and three pins in their next four matches.  No. 1 ranked Taylor Johnson started the surge with a first round pin of Chris Harlin (Sr., Issaquah, Wash.).  After Clayton Burtis accepted a forfeit at heavyweight, No. 7 ranked Jacob Stigall needed just under two minutes to defeat Lucas Beltz (Fr., Wilmot, N.H.) at 125 pounds.
 
No. 14 ranked Trevor Hancock provided the Boxers their biggest shock of the night at 133 pounds, quickly turning Eric Harder (Jr., Bethesda, Md.) midway through the period to score the Raiders' fourth pin of the night.  The loss snapped a 12-match win streak for Harder that dated back to the consolation quarterfinals of the Mike Clock Open on Nov. 10.
 
Johnathon Gay followed with a 13-5 major decision over Jeremiah Baker (Fr., Portland, Ore.) at 141 pounds.  Tyler Cowger recovered from a flurry of scoring in the second round of the 149-pound match to beat Ryan Baxter (Jr., Craig, Alaska).  Travis Patrick then finished up the night with a first round pin of Shawn Speer (So., Battle Ground, Wash.) at 157 pounds.
 
With the win, Southern Oregon improved to 4-2 in dual meets on the season.  Pacific dropped to 4-4 on the year.
 
Pacific returns to the road tomorrow, traveling to Coos Bay, Ore., for a 6 p.m. match-up with Southwestern Oregon CC.  The Boxers return home next Friday to host NAIA rival Embry Riddle (Ariz.) at 7 p.m.  Southern Oregon will wrestle Embry Riddle in Ashland on Thursday.
 
NO. 6 (NAIA) SOUTHERN OREGON 43, PACIFIC 6
NOTE: Match started at 165 pounds.
125: Jacob Stigall (SOU) win by fall over Lucas Beltz (PAC), 1:58 (24-6 SOU)
133: Trevor Hancock (SOU) win by fall over Eric Harder (PAC), 1:50 (30-6 SOU)
141: Johnathan Gay (SOU) maj. dec. Jeremiah Baker (PAC), 13-5 (34-6 SOU)
149: Tyler Cowger (SOU) dec. Ryan Baxter (PAC), 12-6 (37-6 SOU)
157: Travis Patrick (SOU) win by fall over Shawn Speer (PAC), 2:27 (43-6 SOU)
165: Bruce Balcita (PAC) dec. Garrett Urrutia (SOU), 10-5 (3-0 PAC)
174: Brock Gutches (SOU) win by fall over Michael Tyner (PAC), 2:50 (6-3 SOU)
184: Caleb Malychewski (PAC) dec. Jacob Abrams (SOU), 4-3 (6-6 Tie)
197: Taylor Johnson (SOU) win by fall over Chris Harlin (PAC), 1:18 (12-6 SOU)
285: Clayton Burtis (SOU) win by forfeit (18-6 SOU)
 
Referee: Masa Miyake     Attendance: 75
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