PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Despite losing their opening round matches to No. 1 ranked wrestlers, Ivan Lopouchanski and Manny Ramirez bounced back in the wrestlebacks to stay alive on Thursday at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
At 125 pounds, Ramirez had a tough matchup in the first round as he faced defending National Champion and top-ranked Matt McDonough from Iowa and fell by a first period pin. Ramirez came back in impressive fashion in the consolation bracket as he defeated No. 20 David Klingsheim from Nebraska by major decision, 19-7. Ramirez will now face No. 12 Jarrod Garnett from Virginia Tech.
Lopouchanski's opening match at 149 pounds was just as rough as he was faced top-ranked Darrion Caldwell from NC State who was a 2008 National Champion. Lopouchanski, ranked 14th nationally, fell in that match by major decision, 18-7. Like Ramirez, Lopouchanski was able to win his consolation round match as he defeated West Virginia's Brandon Rader, 5-2. He will face Lehigh's Joseph Napoli in the next round of wrestlebacks.
197-pounder Caylor Williams was the recipient of a tough draw, as well, as he lost by fall to No. 2 Trevor Brandvold from Wisconsin in the first round. He then fell to Oregon State's Chad Hanke, ranked 20th nationally, by technical fall, 21-4, late in the third period to be eliminated.
Peter Sturgeon lost a pair of narrow matches at 285 pounds to be eliminated from the tournament. In his opening match, Sturgeon was pitted against No. 11 Nathan Fernandez from Oklahoma. Sturgeon held a 3-2 lead in the third period, but was hit with his second stalling call that gave Fernandez a point to tie the match. In sudden victory, Fernandez was able to score a takedown to defeat Sturgeon, 5-3.
Sturgeon found himself in another tight match in the wrestlebacks as he was pitted against Ohio's Jeremy Johnson. After scoring an escape to tie the match at four early in the third period, Sturgeon was hit with a pair of stall calls to award Johnson a point and the 5-4 victory.
The Spartan duo will continue their way through the wrestlebacks on Friday morning at 10:30 a.m.
AGATE
125 pounds:
No. 1 Matt McDonough (Iowa) fall Manny Ramirez (UNCG), 2:31
Manny Ramirez (UNCG) maj. dec. No. 20 David Klingsheim (Nebraska), 19-7
149 pounds:
No. 1 Darrion Caldwell (NC State) maj. dec. No. 14 Ivan Lopouchanski (UNCG), 18-7
No. 14 Ivan Lopouchanski (UNCG) dec. Brandon Rader (West Virginia), 5-2
197 pounds:
No. 2 Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin) fall Caylor Williams (UNCG), 1:06
No. 20 Chad Hanke (Oregon State) tech. fall Caylor Williams (UNCG), 21-4 at 6:15
* Caylor Williams eliminated from tournament
285 pounds:
No. 11 Nathan Fernandez (Oklahoma) dec. Peter Sturgeon (UNCG), 5-3 SV1
Jeremy Johnson (Ohio) dec. Peter Sturgeon (UNCG), 5-4
* Peter Sturgeon eliminated from tournament
- UNCG -
