by NORMAN – The No. 17 Oklahoma wrestling team downed North Dakota State, 25-14, on Sunday afternoon inside McCasland Field House, marking the first dual win for new OU Head Coach Lou Rosselli.
The Sooners recorded six wins in the contest, including three bonus-point victories at heavyweight, 133 pounds and 141 pounds. Rosselli said he was happy with how his team responded in the dual.
“I think we had some people make weight a little bit better today, and their energy level was much better,” Rosselli said. “That gave them the ability to out-work their opponents most of the matches. We took a couple hits, but I think overall it was a good performance, and I think that the guys are getting better at understanding how you outwork your opponent.”
At 149 pounds, sophomore Davion Jeffries (Muscogee Creek Nation), ranked No. 12, held a 3-2 lead over Mitch Friedman late in the third period, but Jeffries connected on a takedown and added a 4-point nearfall to secure the win, 9-2.
Redshirt senior and 10th-ranked Clark Glass downed No. 18 Andrew Fogarty, 4-2. Glass registered a takedown, an escape and the riding-time point en route to his first win over a ranked opponent this season.
In the 197-pound bout, redshirt senior and No. 19 Brad Johnson ended the dual with a 6-2 decision over Cordell Eaton. Johnson secured a takedown in each of the first two periods and added an escape and the riding-time point in the final frame for the win.
At 125 pounds, freshman Dalton Duffield dropped a 23-7 technical fall (6:35) to No. 5 Josh Rodriguez, and Clay Ream downed junior DaWaylon Barnes, 9-2, at 157 pounds. Hayden Hansen (174 pounds) lost to Carter Nielsen in a 7-2 decision, and junior Andrew Dixon dropped an 8-5 decision to Tyler McNutt at 184 pounds.
With the win, the Sooners improved to 1-1 on the season, including a 1-0 mark in Big 12 competition. OU returns to the mat on Friday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. in McCasland Field House for the first of two Bedlam duals this season.
