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Minnesota rebounds with 3-0 record at Sun Devil Duals
January 5, 2003
The third-ranked University of Minnesota wrestling team (5-2) defeated Embry-Riddle, Lock Haven and No. 7 Arizona State today at the Sun Devil Duals in Tempe, Ariz., to rebound from its disappointing loss to top-ranked Oklahoma State Friday night at Target Center.
The Golden Gophers opened up the event with a suffocating 52-6 win over Embry-Riddle, an NAIA team. The 52 points are the most scored in a dual meet for Minnesota since the Golden Gophers downed Truman State, 57-0, on Dec. 5, 1997. The Maroon and Gold won every contested match in the dual versus Embry-Riddle with the lone ERAU points due to a UM forfeit at 184 pounds. Minnesota picked up wins by fall at 133, 149, 157, 165 and 174 pounds.
In the Golden Gophers' second dual of the day, Minnesota overwhelmed Lock Haven, 31-7, winning eight of 10 matches. Damion Hahn at 184 pounds picked up his first win of the season with a 9-6 decision over Mike Greenberg. Matt Nagel, filling in for top-ranked Luke Becker at 157 pounds for the duration of the event, closed out the dual versus LHU with a 9-3 win over Charlie Brennemen. The Bald Eagles' points came with wins at heavyweight and 141 pounds.
Minnesota completed the sweep at the Sun Devil Duals with a 26-13 triumph over host Arizona State. Gold Country won seven of 10 matches, including the first four, to cruise to the win. The dual opened at 165 pounds with No. 3 Jacob Volkmann posting a 3-0 shutout of No. 16 Nick Frist. Eighth-ranked Josh McLay moved the team score to 7-0 with a 16-2 win at 174 points. Hahn then earned his second win of the year at 184 pounds with a 6-0 win over Ron Renzi.
Following a Jacob Lininger win at 197 pounds, the Sun Devils put six points on the board with No. 5 Kellan Fluckiger's pin of Chad Mentel in 2:24. Mentel was filling in for Garrett Lowney who continues to recover from shoulder surgery. At 125 pounds, No. 15 Bobbe Lowe moved the score to 17-6 with a 14-5 major decision over Jeremy Mendoza. Ryan Lewis then tallied his third fall of the event and team-leading seventh of the season with his 2:27 fall over No. 19 Mike Simpson.
ASU proceeded to win the next two bouts, including the featured match at 149 pounds, a rematch of the 2002 Las Vegas Invitational title bout. Top-ranked Eric Larkin of ASU stayed perfect on the year at 15-0 with a 10-4 win over No. 3 Jared Lawrence. Lawrence came out on the attack looking for revenge, but Larkin was able to mount a lead and build it into a solid decision win. Nagel closed out the meet with an 11-6 win over Patrick Williams at 157 pounds.
The Golden Gophers return to action at 7 p.m. Tuesday as Minnesota invades Lincoln, Neb., to battle eighth-ranked Nebraska.