The Illinois wrestling team lost to top-seeded Oklahoma State in the first round of the NWCA National Duals Championships.
“We need to finish matches,” head coach Jim Heffernan said. “It’s not a matter of conditioning; it’s not a matter of training. A lot of it is self-confidence and a will to win.”
The meet started off with an Illini victory, as No. 3 Jesse Delgado knocked off Oklahoma State’s Eddie Kilmara in the 125-pound weight class. After Kilmara began the match with an early takedown to give him the 2-0 lead, Delgado responded with an escape to end the first period 2-1.
Delgado recorded another escape to open the second period to tie the match at two heading into the final period. Kilmara chose down to begin the third and escaped before Delgado was recorded the winning takedown to give him the 4-3 victory and the Illini the early 3-0 lead.
Delgado’s victory proved to be the Illini’s lone win on the night. At 133 pounds, the Illini’s No. 10 Daryl Thomas lost to No. 6 Jon Morrison by a 12-1 major decision before Steven Rodrigues fell by way of a 4-2 decision against Julian Feikert at 141 pounds.
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The 149 and 157 pound matches were no better for the Illini as No. 1 Jordan Oliver pinned No. 19 Caleb Ervin in 58 seconds before Alex Dieringer knocked off the Illini’s Matt Nora by a 14-5 major decision to increase the Cowboys’ lead to 17-3.
The 165-pound match between the Illini’s No. 7 Conrad Polz and the Cowboy’s No. 3 Tyler Caldwell ended in a 2-0 Caldwell victory. Caldwell recorded the only two points of the match with an escape and another point for riding time to capture the victory.
“I just didn’t compete well,” Polz said. “I should have opened up more and got to my offense. I let the match go where he wanted it to go.”
No. 8 Jordan Blanton fought a tough seven minutes against Oklahoma State’s No 2. Chris Perry but fell by a 2-1 decision. Both Blanton and Perry recorded escapes in the second period but the added riding time point gave Perry the win.
With three matches remaining and Oklahoma State holding on to a 23-3 lead, the Cowboys increased their overall lead with victories in the 184, 197 and heavyweight matches.
Oklahoma State’s No. 12 Chris Chionuma defeated No. 16 Tony Dallago by a 7-5 decision at 184 pounds and No. 11 Blake Rosholt won an overtime match against the Illini’s Mario Gonzalez, 6-3.
At heavyweight, the Cowboy’s No. 3 Alan Gelogaev finished off the meet with a 17-5 major decision over Chris Lopez to give the Cowboy’s the 33-3 overall win.
The Illini will host the Big Ten Championships on March 9 and 10 at the Assembly Hall.
Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @yaboybernie11.
