The 15th-ranked Sooners of Oklahoma won four of the first five matches on the way to a 21-13 victory over eighth-ranked Hofstra Saturday night at the McCasland Field House. Oklahoma improves to 10-7 while the Pride fall to 18-4-2.
Starting out at 125 pounds, the Pride forfeited the match to top-ranked Sam Hazewinkel. At 133, Hofstra's 18th-ranked freshman Lou Ruggirello defeated Joe Comparin 6-2 to cut the deficit to 6-3. But the Sooners won the next three matches as Kyle Terry defeated the Pride's #8 junior Charles Griffin 7-4. Oklahoma senior Matt Storniolo, ranked second, downed red-shirt freshman Mitch Smith, ranked 15th, 6-4 at 149. In one of the featured matches of the night sophomore Will Rowe edged #2 senior James Strouse 6-5 at 157 pounds for a 15-3 advantage in the match.
Sixth-ranked senior Mike Patrovich ended OU's run with a 6-3 decision over Sooner Shane Seibert, 6-3,at 165. Hofstra sophomore Alton Lucas closed the gap to 15-9 with a 7-4 decision over Josh Weitzel at 174 pounds while junior Joe Rovelli inched closer with 12-0 major decision over Josh Hinton at 184 pounds. Oklahoma's fifth-ranked senior Joel Flaggert posted a 4-2 decision over Hofstra's 11th-ranked senior Chris Weidman 4-2. Sooner Brad Farmer closed out the match with a 5-0 victory over Pride graduate-student Matt Pollock at 285 pounds for a 21-13 victory.
Hofstra is out of action until Friday, March 2 when the Pride returns to competition at the 2007 Colonial Athletic Association Wrestling Championships at George Mason University.
#15 Oklahoma 21, #8 Hofstra 13
Saturday. February 17, 2007- Norman, OK
125: Sam Hazewinkel (OU) winner by forfeit
133: Lou Ruggirello (HU) dec. Joe Comparin (OU), 6-2
141: Kyle Terry (OU) dec. Charles Griffin (HU), 7-4
149: Matt Storniolo (OU) dec. Mitch Smith (HU), 6-4
157: Will Rowe (OU) dec. James Strouse (HU), 6-5
165: Mike Patrovich (HU) dec. Shane Seibert (OU), 6-3
174: Alton Lucas (HU) dec. Josh Weitzel (OU), 7-4
184: Joe Rovelli (HU) maj. dec. Josh Hinton (OU), 12-0
197: Joel Flaggert (OU) dec. Chris Weidman (HU), 4-2
HWT: Brad Farmer (OU) dec. Matt Pollock (HU), 5-0
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