NORMAN, Okla. (Nov. 13) – Close losses in the first three matches put Central Oklahoma in a hole it couldn't recover from and the Bronchos went on to suffer a big 39-0 setback to Oklahoma here Thursday night at McCasland Field House.
UCO fell in overtime in the opening two bouts at 125 and 133 pounds and lost in the final seconds at 141 to fall behind 9-0, with the Sooners then using their middle- and upper-weight superiority to make it a rout.
The Bronchos, ranked sixth in NCAA Division II, fell to 1-1 in duals while the Division I No. 18-rated Sooners improved to 1-0 with their 34th straight win over UCO.
“We had a chance to win the first three matches and just didn't finish,” head coach David James said. “Those three guys wrestled hard and gave themselves a chance, but we have to find a way to win those matches.
"Overall it wasn't a good effort on our part and that was disappointing. We got dominated in some matches and that's unacceptable."
Each of the first three matches went down to the wire, but UCO's Willie Gunter, Tim Elliott and Scott Berens all came up short in the end.
Gunter had two first-period takedowns in taking a 4-2 lead over Joey Fio at 125 and added a second-period escape to go up 5-2, but Fio came back with an escape and takedown to tie it and force the sudden victory overtime period.
Fio, a returning Division I national qualifier, pulled out a 7-5 win over the UCO rookie when he came out on top in a wild scramble with just two seconds left in the extra period.
Elliott gave up an early takedown to David Armstrong 133, but came back to tie it 3-all after one period and went ahead 4-3 with a second-period escape. Armstrong tied it with an escape early in the final stanza and he pulled out a 6-4 win on a takedown 21 seconds into the sudden victory period.
Berens trailed Brian Shelton 4-1 after the opening three minutes at 141, but he pulled close with a second-period escape and tied it early in the third with an escape. Another scramble went against the Bronchos down the stretch, however, with Shelton's takedown with 13 seconds left giving him a 6-4 win.
It was all OU after that, with the Sooners earning bonus wins in five of the last seven matches.
UCO returns to action this weekend, going to Warrensburg, Mo. Sunday for the Central Missouri Open.
Oklahoma 25, Central Oklahoma
125: Joey Fio, OU, dec. Willie Gunter, 7-5 (SV).
133: David Armstrong, OU, dec. Tim Elliott, 6-4 (SV).
141: Brian Shelton, OU, dec. Scott Berens, 6-4.
149: Kyle Terry, OU, major dec. Colby Robinson, 9-1.
157: Shane Vernon, OU, pinned Kelly Henderson, 1:26.
165: Ryan Smith, OU, major dec. Mikey Morgan, 12-1.
174: Jeff James, OU, major dec. Cody Rowell, 17-7.
184: Pat Flynn, OU, pinned Daniel Morrison, 1:42.
197: Eric Lapotsky, OU, dec. Jarrett Edison, 6-5.
Hvy: Nathan Fernandez, OU, dec. Cameron Gladd, 6-1.
