No. 3 OSU Edges ISU, 16-15

STILLWATER, Okla. ? Iowa State and Oklahoma State split the difference Sunday evening but a lone bonus point was the difference as the No. 3 Cowboys escaped with a 16-15 victory over No. 9 ISU at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Sixth-rated Brandon Mason of OSU earned two three-point near falls in the final 34 seconds of the first period in his 174-pound match against Iowa State's Aaron Scott. Mason then denied Scott the rest of the way for a 9-1 key major decision win. Iowa State is now 12-4 in dual action. Oklahoma State is 12-2-1.

Despite the team score, Iowa State was often the aggressor in matches which pleased head coach Cael Sanderson.

“I thought we wrestled well today,” Sanderson said. “We need to take a few steps now and work ourselves toward coming back here for the Big 12 Tournament. Stillwater is a tough place to wrestle and we went five-and-five with them. We were there the whole time. OSU is tough at the lighter weights and we were right in there with them. We need to take it up a notch and master the fundamentals.”

Throughout the dual there were four bouts (149, 157, 197 and HWT) that had a scoreless opening period and the Cyclones emerged victorious.

ISU's No. 20 197-pounder David Bertolino opened the dual with a 3-1 decision over Clatyon Foster. Eight seconds into the second period Foster was able to escape from the grasp of Bertolino to take a 1-0 lead, but Bertolino answered by taking down the Cowboy for a 2-1 advantage and added to his lead with an escape in the final period. Bertolino improves to 17-9 in his senior campaign.

A takedown midway through the second period lifted the Cyclones' No. 5 David Zabriskie past No. 7 Jared Rosholt for a 3-2 decision at heavyweight. Rosholt scored first on an escape just seconds into the second period. As both wrestlers were on the attack, Zabriskie was able to get around on Rosholt for the takedown at the 57-second mark for a 2-1 lead. Rosholt escaped from the Cyclone to end the second stanza to tie the bout at 2-2. Zabriskie escaped from Rosholt to start the final period and seal the win. In four meetings between the two sophomore heavyweights, Zabriskie owns a 4-0 mark, including the deciding match of the 2007 Big 12 Tournament. Zabriskie improves to 20-4 on the year. Rosholt is now 21-3.

At 141 pounds, Iowa State's Nick Gallick scored an initial takedown against top-rated Nathan Morgan. Morgan's takedown of Gallick with 1:06 left in the third period decided a 6-4 match. ISU's Mitch Mueller tied the team score at 9-9 with a 3-2 decision over Ryan Freeman at 149 pounds. Mueller, the nation's 13th-ranked wrestler, used an escape and a takedown in the third period of action to get the 18th win of his sophomore season.

Cyclone Cyler Sanderson followed with a 5-2 decision over Newly McSpadden at 157 pounds to put ISU ahead of Oklahoma State, 12-9 with three bouts remaining. Sanderson, ranked sixth nationally, took the lead on a takedown at the 53-second mark in the second period. The ISU grappler added to his lead in the third period with an escape and a takedown. Sanderson moves to 23-3 on the year and is 2-0 against Big 12 opponents.

“Oklahoma State is a very good team and we knew bonus points would be a factor,” Cyler Sanderson said. “We are improving and keeping our eyes on March.”

In a tight battle that proved key, fifth-rated Cowboy Jake Dieffenbach got a first-period takedown and held on to beat No. 6 Jon Reader of Iowa State, 6-3. Dieffenbach, a senior, improves to 16-2. Reader, a freshman, is 24-2.

The last match ended with top-rated Jake Varner of ISU beating Jack Jensen, 2-0 on an escape and 1:52 of riding time.

The Cyclone wrestling team returns to Hilton Coliseum Feb. 8 to take on Oregon State at 7 p.m.

Oklahoma State 16, Iowa State 15

197 ? David Bertolino (ISU) dec. Clayton Foster (OSU), 3-1

HWT ? David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. Jared Rosholt (OSU), 3-2

125 ? Tyler Shinn (OSU) dec. Tyler Clark (ISU), 3-2

133 ? Coleman Scott (OSU) dec. Nick Fanthorpe (ISU), 6-2

141 ? Nathan Morgan (OSU) dec. Nick Gallick (ISU), 6-4

149 ? Mitch Mueller (ISU) dec. Ryan Freeman (OSU), 3-2

157 ? Cyler Sanderson (ISU) dec. Newly McSpadden (OSU), 5-2

165 ? Jake Dieffenbach (OSU) dec. Jon Reader (ISU), 6-3

174 ? Brandon Mason (OSU) maj. dec. Aron Scott (ISU), 9-1

184 ? Jake Varner (ISU) beat Jack Jensen (OSU), 2-0

Next Event

Players Mentioned

David Bertolino

David Bertolino

Tyler Clark

Nick Fanthorpe

Nick Fanthorpe

Nick Gallick

Nick Gallick

Mitch Mueller

Mitch Mueller

Cyler Sanderson

Cyler Sanderson

Aron Scott

Aron Scott

Jake Varner

Jake Varner

David Zabriskie

David Zabriskie

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics