Hoffman Wins, Advances to Face No. 1 Seed at NCAA Championships
March 20, 2008
ST. LOUIS -- Senior Eric Hoffman won his opening match at 125 pounds by major decision to highlight North Dakota State's first-round action at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships Thursday at the Scottrade Center.
Hoffman beat Oklahoma's Joey Fio 14-6 to advance to Thursday night's
second round. He'll meet No. 1-seeded Angel Escobedo of Indiana,
who was a 4-2 winner over Arizona State's Anthony Robles.
At 149 pounds, sophomore Ryan Adams lost by 11-2 major decision to No.
5-seeded Josh Churella of Michigan, who earlier was an 8-2 winner over
Lehigh's Trevor Chinn.
Adams will face Northern Iowa's Nick Pickerell in Thursday night's
wrestlebacks. It will be a rematch of the NCAA West Regional
championship, won by Pickerell 9-5 at NDSU two weeks ago. Adams
is 0-2 against Pickerell this year, including a technical fall in the
teams' dual meet Feb. 24 in Cedar Falls.
Pickerell lost his first-round match 8-6 to Cal State Fullerton's 12th-seeded Morgan Atkinson.
At 197 pounds, junior Jacob Bryce lost by fall to No. 6-seeded Dallas Herbst of Wisconsin, who pinned Bryce in 25 seconds.
Bryce will face Lamar Brown of Rutgers in Thursday night's
wrestlebacks. Brown lost 2-1 in the first round to 11th-seeded
Timothy Morrison of Rider.
There are 32 wrestlers competing in the 125-pound weight class, 32 at
149 pounds, and 33 at 197 pounds. The double-elmination
tournament continues through Saturday.
Eric Hoffman, 125
won by major decision, 14-6, Joey Fio, Oklahoma
Ryan Adams, 149
lost by major decision, 11-2, Josh Churella, Michigan
Jacob Bryce, 197
lost by fall, 0:25, Dallas Herbst, Wisconsin