Wrestlers Fall Short at No. 17 Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla. --- The Oklahoma wrestling team pulled out the final three matches of the night Friday and won six of 10 overall to defeat Chattanooga, 21-13.

The Sooners, ranked No. 17 nationally, trailed Chattanooga 13-11 after 14^th-ranked Lloyd Rogers gave the Mocs their first and only lead of the dual. Rogers edged Jeff James at 174 pounds, 6-4.

Oklahoma closed out its victory claiming the last three matches. The Sooners, 11-1, regained the lead at the 184-pound match. Seventh-ranked Joshua Weitzel scored a 13-0 major decision over UTC's Josh Edmondson for a 15-13 Oklahoma lead.

Third-ranked Joel Flaggert edged UTC's 14^th-ranked Matt Koz at 197, 5-2, and Nathan Fernandez was two better than UTC's Matt Lettner, 3-1 at heavyweight.

The Sooners soared to an early 8-0 lead on the strength of consecutive major decisions by Joey Fio at 125 and John Starzyk at 133. Steve Hromada, who fell 12-2 at 133, made his return for the 19^th-ranked Mocs (5-5) after missing the last three duals because of an injury.

Cody Cleveland recorded Chattanooga's first team points with a 14-6 major over 11^th-ranked Zack Bailey in the 141-pound class. Cleveland scored six points in the third period of his match to distance himself from Bailey. UTC's Joey Knox followed at 149 by shutting out No. 9 Will Rowe, 6-0, to trim the deficit to 8-7.

The teams traded wins in the next two matches. Oklahoma's Chad Terry defeated Seth Garvin, 8-1 at 157, and UTC's Nick Davis outpointed No. 20 Max Dean, 3-1 at 165.

Chattanooga opens Southern Conference competition Tuesday at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C.

No. 17 OKLAHOMA 21, No. 19 CHATTANOOGA 13

125: Joey Fio (OU) maj. dec. No. 9 Javier Maldonado (UTC), 16-4 4-0

133: John Starzyk (OU) maj. dec. No. 19 Steve Hromada (UTC), 12-2 8-0

141: Cody Cleveland (UTC) maj. dec. No. 11 Zack Bailey (OU), 14-6 8-4

149: No. 20 Joey Knox (UTC) dec. No. 9 Will Rowe (OU), 6-0 8-7

157: Chad Terry (OU) dec. No. 20 Seth Garvin (UTC), 8-1 11-7

165: Nick Davis (UTC) dec. No. 20 Max Dean (OU), 3-1 11-10

174: No. 14 Lloyd Rogers (UTC) dec. Jeff James (OU), 6-4 11-13

184: No. 7 Joshua Weitzel (OU) maj. dec. Josh Edmondson (UTC), 13-0 15-13

197: No. 3 Joel Flaggert (OU) dec. No. 14 Matt Koz (UTC), 5-2 18-13

HWT: Nathan Fernandez (OU) dec. Matt Lettner (UTC), 3-1 21-13

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Players Mentioned

Cody Cleveland

Josh Edmondson

Seth Garvin

Joey Knox

Matt Koz

Matt Lettner

Javier Maldonado

Lloyd Rogers

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