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Mavericks win sixth-straight dual with 29-6 win over Dragons
February 3, 2006
Mankato, Minn. -- The #2 ranked Minnesota State Maverick wrestling team squared off with the #12 ranked MSU Moorhead Dragons in a non-conference dual tonight at the Taylor Center on the campus of MSU. MSU won all but two matches and won its sixth consecutive dual by a score of 29-6. The Mavericks improve to 11-1 while the Dragons fall to 9-7 in dual action.
Action started at 174 pounds as #2 junior Travis Krinkie (Blue Earth, Minn.) picked up the first Maverick victory of the evening with a 13-4 major decision over Skip Toops. At 184, #2 senior John Koons (Crosby, Minn.) didn't surrender a single point to Bryan Cowdin and won with a 5-0 decision.
Freshman Tom Block (Waseca, Minn.) faced Joe Facchinni at 197 in a match that needed an overtime period to decide the winner. Facchinni got the takedown in overtime and collected the 8-6 decision win and put the first points of the evening on the board for the Dragons.
In what was perhaps the most exciting match of the evening came at the heavyweight division with #4 Chris Tuchscherer squaring off with senior Tim Kraemer (Cold Springs, Minn.). Kraemer was leading 2-1 after two seesaw periods of action. Kraemer was able to pick up a late reversal and a late near fall to secure the 6-1 decision victory. The win put the Mavericks up 10-3.
At 125, #6 sophomore Nick Smith (Yankton, S.D.) defeated Dave Burgard with a 9-2 decision and gave MSU three more points. Junior Jeff Pfaffinger (Blue Earth, Minn.) faced Troy MacFarland in the 133 pound bout. Pfaffinger was too much for MacFarland as he rolled to a 20-5 technical fall at 7:00 of the third period. At 141, #5 senior Zach Stevens (Erwinna, Pa.) dominated Ben Keen and picked up a 13-2 major decision. The win clinched the match for MSU.
Junior Brandon Girtz (Forest Lake, Minn.) defeated Peter Hayes with a 13-4 major decision at 149 pounds. At 157 pounds, #3 senior Mathias Bitz (Bismarck, N.D.) edged Ross Malikowski 3-1 for the win.
In the final match of the evening at 165 pounds displayed the #1 and #3 ranked wrestlers in the nation. MSU Moorhead's #1 Nate Baker faced sophomore Andy Pickar (Brainerd, Minn.). Pickar led the match after the first and second periods and headed into the third with a 5-3 lead. Baker used an escape and a late takedown to get the 7-5 decision win.
The Mavericks will be back in action again tomorrow at #10 Wisconsin-Parkside. The dual is slated for 7 p.m.
February 3, 2006 at Mankato, MN
Minnesota State 29, MSU Moorhead 6
174: #2 Travis Krinkie (MSU) maj. Skip Toops (Mrhd) 13-4
184: #2 John Koons (MSU) dec. Bryan Cowdin (Mrhd) 5-0
197: Joe Facchinni (Mrhd) dec. Tom Block (MSU) 8-6 OT
Hwt: Tim Kraemer (MSU) dec. #4 Chris Tuchscherer (Mrhd) 6-1
125: #6 Nick Smith (MSU) dec. Dave Burgard (Mrhd) 9-2
133: Jeff Pfaffinger (MSU) tech Troy MacFarland (Mrhd) 20-5 7:00
141: #5 Zach Stevens (MSU) maj. Ben Keen (Mrhd) 13-2
149: Brandon Girtz (MSU) maj. Peter Hayes (Mrhd) 13-4
157: Mathias Bitz (MSU) dec. Ross Malikowski (Mrhd) 3-1
165: #1 Nate Baker (Mrhd) dec. Andy Pickar (MSU) 7-5