Huskers 18th Heading Into Final Day

St. Louis, Mo.---The Nebraska wrestling team is 18th after four sessions of the 2005 NCAA Championships with 30.5 points.  Oklahoma State leads the way with 127.5 points.  <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

NU was a combined 0-4 on the evening, with two losses in championship semifinals and a pair of losses in the consolation brackets.  Despite Friday night's struggles, NU head coach Mark Manning said the team will come out with a strong effort on Saturday.

 

“This is a three-day tournament, and we plan to wrestle hard all three days,” Manning said.

 

At 184 pounds, Tyler Baier of Cornell defeated NU senior Travis Pascoe, 10-8, in an extremely close match.  The match was tied at eight late in the third period when Baier scored a takedown with 10 seconds to go to clinch the victory.  Pascoe will face Illinois' Brian Glynn in tomorrow's third-place match at 184 pounds.

 

Also falling in a semifinal match was 197-pound junior B.J. Padden, who was defeated by Oklahoma State's Jake Rosholt, 10-9.  The match was tied at nine at the end of regulation, however Rosholt was awarded one bonus point for his riding time advantage.  Padden will face top-seeded Jon Trenge of Lehigh for third place tomorrow.

 

Both Padden and Pascoe earned All-America honors in quarterfinal matches earlier in the day.  Padden and Pascoe earned the 73rd and 74th All-America honors in school history.  This season marks the seventh straight year for the Huskers with multiple All-Americans.

 

In consolation action, senior 149-pound wrestler Travis Shufelt fell one win short of his second career All-America award in a 13-4 loss to Jon Masa of Hofstra.  Masa took a 7-0 lead after one period with a takedown and two near-falls and never looked back.  With the loss, Shufelt, a 2004 All-American at 149 pounds, ends his career at Nebraska with a 71-33 record.

 

Junior 165-pound wrestler Jacob Klein also fell just one match short of All-American honors.  Columbia's Matt Palmer defeated Klein, 2-0.  Palmer started the second period down but escaped with 1:21 to go in the frame.  Palmer added a bonus point with his 1:21 advantage in riding time.  Klein finished his junior season with a 28-7 record.

 

The 2005 NCAA Championships will conclude with action tomorrow.  Session five, featuring consolation and third-place matches, will begin at 9:30 a.m. 

 

Semifinals

184-Tyler Baier (Cornell) by dec. over Travis Pascoe (NU), 10-8

197-Jake Rosholt (Okla. St.) by dec. over B.J. Padden (NU), 10-9

 

Consolation

149-Jon Masa (Hofstra) by major dec. over Travis Shufelt (NU), 13-4

165-Matt Palmer (Columbia) by dec. over Jacob Klein (NU), 2-0