Wrestling: Lauer and Lebe Advance to Semifinals
December 04, 2004 12:47 AM | General
By Tim Goodenow for MSNsportsNET.com
December 3, 2004
LAS VEGAS – West Virginia University wrestlers Brandon Lauer and Matt Lebe advanced to semifinal matches at the 23rd annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational held at the Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev.
Lauer, the No. 2 seed at 141 pounds, notched WVU’s first win of the tournament with a fall at 4:08 over Dan Shaw of Montana State. Lauer, who has two years of eligibility remaining, raced out to a 5-0 lead after one period and led 7-1 before setting Shaw up for the pin. Lauer improved to 2-0 on the day with a win over Boise State’s Jacob Skoles, 10-4. In the quarterfinals, Lauer picked up his second fall of the day, defeating No. 7 seed Chris McCormick of Missouri at 4:32.
Fourth-seeded Matt Lebe posted an 11-3 major decision over Angelo Lago of Cal State Fullerton in his first round match. Lago scored the bout’s first takedown before Lebe tallied three takedowns and a near fall in the final four minutes for the victory. The junior Mountaineer picked up two more wins with a 4-0 decision over Cornell’s Josh Cholish and a 3-2 decision over EWL foe Chris Honring, the No. 5 seed from Clarion.
Mike Torriero won his opening round match at 149 pounds with a 7-5 decision over Ohio State’s Stephen Wolery. With the scored tied at 5-5 in the final period, seventh-seeded Torriero tallied the winning takedown with 7 seconds remaing for a two point win. WVU’s Torriero fell in his second round match via fall to No. 10 seed Craig Henning of Wisconsin. The senior Mountaineer rebounded with a 7-5 decision over Oregon State’s Orlando Perez before calling it a day with an injury.
Senior Ryan Wilman dropped a 3-2 decision in two overtimes to Joe Lowe of UNC Greensboro at 174 pounds. After a scoreless opening period, the two traded escapes in the second and third periods for a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation. Tenth seeded Wilman escaped in the first 30 seconds of the second overtime but was taken down to lose 3-2. Mountaineer Wilman won his second match with a convincing 8-1 decision over Josh Johnston of Missouri Valley. Wilman advanced to the quarterfinals with two wins from medical forfeits before earning an 11-5 decision over Oregon State’s Steve Grayson.
Zac Frlying was the only Mountaineer to receive a pigtail bout, dropping a tough 3-2 decision at 165 pounds to Virginia’s Will Durkee. Frying forced all the action but Durkee, who made zero shot attempts, held on for the win with the riding time advantage. The No. 5 seed Fryling responded well with an impressive win via fall at 1:37 over No. 6 seed Christian Arellano of Cal State Bakersfield. He advanced in the consolation bracket with wins over Risto Marttinen of Cal State Fullerton and Wyoming’s Gary Dack. Fryling lost a 6-3 tiebreaker in sudden victory to Arizona State’s Patrick Pitsch.
At 197 pounds, West Virginia’s Jared Villers posted a 9-3 decision over Leo Saniuk of Brown in first round action. Villers, the No. 12 seed, tallied three takedowns, two escapes and a point for riding time in his win. Sophomore Villers then dropped matches via falls to Wisconsin’s Ryan Flaherty and Willie Breyer of Michigan.
Wrestling in his first career varsity tournament, Mountaineer Jeff Courtney fell 6-2 to Kirk Nail of Ohio State. Nail took a 2-1 lead after two periods of action before a takedown in the third period sealed the match. Heavyweight Courtney then lost a 5-2 decision to VMI’s Scott Buhman.
West Virginia, which traveled just seven wrestlers, sits in 11th place with 40 points after four rounds of wrestling. Michigan is the tournament leader with 95.5 points.
Wrestling resumes with rounds five and six beginning on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 9:00 a.m. (PST). Championship finals matches and placing rounds are scheduled for 5:00 p.m. (PST).
Individuals Match-by-Match
141: Brandon Lauer (3-0)
Brandon Lauer (WVU) FALL Dan Shaw (Montana State), 4:08
Brandon Lauer (WVU) DEC Jacob Skoles (Boise State), 10-4
Brandon Lauer (WVU) FALL Chris McCormick (Missouri), 4:32
149: Mike Torriero (2-1)
Mike Torriero (WVU) DEC Stephen Wolery (Ohio State), 7-6
Craig Henning (Wisconsin) FALL Mike Torriero (WVU), 7:00
Mike Torriero (WVU) DEC Orlando Perez (Oregon State), 7-5
Jeff Owens (Cal Poly) MED FOR Mike Torriero (WVU)
157: Matt Lebe (3-0)
Matt Lebe (WVU) MAJOR Angelo Lago (Cal State Fulerton), 11-3
Matt Lebe (WVU) DEC John Cholish (Cornell), 4-0
Matt Lebe (WVU) DEC Chris Horning (Clarion), 3-2
165: Zac Fryling (3-2)
Will Durkee (Virginia) DEC. Zac Fryling (WVU), 3-2
Zac Fryling (WVU) FALL Christian Arellano (Cal State Baskerfield), 1:37
Zac Fryling (WVU) DEC Risto Marttinen (Cal State Fullerton), 7-3
Zac Fryling (WVU) MAJOR Gary Dack (Wyoming), 12-3
Patrick Pitsch (Arizona State) DEC Zac Fryling (WVU), 6-3 SV-2
174: Ryan Wilman (4-1)
Joe Lowe (UNC Greensboro) DEC Ryan Wilman (WVU), 3-2 SV-2
Ryan Wilman (WVU) DEC Josh Johnston (Missouri Valley), 8-1
Ryan Wilman (WVU) MED FOR Evan Copeland (Adams State)
Ryan Wilman (WVU) MED FOR Leonel Sanchez (Cal State Fullerton)
Ryan Wilman (WVU) DEC Steve Grayson (Oregon State), 11-5
197: Jared Villers (1-2)
Jared Villers (WVU) DEC Leo Saniuk (Brown), 9-3
Ryan Flaherty (Wisconsin) FALL Jared Villers (WVU), 3:00
Willie Breyer (Michigan) FALL Jared Villers (WVU), 4:11
285: Jeff Courtney (0-2)
Kirk Nail (Ohio State) DEC Jeff Courtney (WVU), 6-2
Scott Buhman (VMI) DEC Jeff Courtney (WVU), 5-2
