Huskers Hammer Hokies

Blacksburg, Va. - Sophomore 184-pound wrestler Levi Wofford notched two last-minute takedowns, including one at the final horn, to upset ninth-ranked Steve Borja and spark a six-match winning streak for 18th-ranked Nebraska as it defeated Virginia Tech, 34-9, on Friday at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Va.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

“It’s a good win for Wofford,” seventh-year head coach Mark Manning said.  “It will be a real confidence booster for him.  Levi just kept the pressure on Borja, and he outworked the kid.”

 

The win marked the 11th-straight year the Huskers won their season-opening dual, and it was keyed by a pair of freshmen in their first career dual matches earning victories for NU.  After Wofford’s win over Borja, Nick Schaefer notched a pair of takedowns to defeat Tim Miller, 5-3.

Then, <?xml:namespace prefix="U1"?><?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska built its lead with a pair of wins by fall by returning starters.  The first was by heavyweight Jon May, who pinned Jim Powers 1:25 into the second period.  That was followed by 125-pounder Paul Donahoe’s win by fall over Sheridan Moran in 1:33, his seventh pin of the year, to give the Huskers an 18-point lead four matches into the dual.  

 

In his varsity debut at 133 pounds, Mike Rowe defeated Matt Rosen, 8-3, while Dominick Moyer clinched the dual for Nebraska with a 14-2 major decision victory at 141 pounds.  After an overtime setback at 149 pounds, Chris Oliver earned his fifth win by fall of the year with his pin of Derek Gallagher with eight seconds remaining in the first period at 157 pounds.  At 165, Marc Harwood won his first match of the year with a 3-1 sudden-victory triumph over Eric Decker to give NU a 34-3 lead with one match to go.  With the dual decided, Steve Ratley won by fall for Virginia Tech at 174 pounds.

 

“We wrestled really aggressively,” Manning said.  “Our conditioning really showed up as an asset.”

The Huskers (1-0) are next in action Saturday at 3 p.m. against Maryland at the Comcast Center Pavilion in College Park, Md.  The time was changed to accommodate Terrapins fans wanting to attend both the wrestling dual and Maryland’s football game that evening. 

#18 Nebraska 34, Virginia Tech 9
Friday, Nov. 24, 2006
Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, Va.
184-Levi Wofford (NU) by dec. over #9 Steve Borja, 8-7
197-Nick Schaefer (NU) by dec. over Tim Miller, 5-3
285-#14 Jon May (NU) by fall over Jim Powers, 4:25
125-#6 Paul Donahoe (NU) by fall over Sheridan Moran, 1:33
133-Mike Rowe (NU) by dec. over Matt Rosen, 8-3
141-#14 Dominick Moyer (NU) by major dec. over Andre Johnson, 14-2
149-Jon Bonilla-Bowman (VT) by dec. over #10 Robert Sanders, 7-5 (SV)
157-#13 Chris Oliver (NU) by fall over Derek Gallagher, 2:52
165-#12 Marc Harwood (NU) by dec. over Eric Decker, 3-1 (SV)
174-Steve Ratley (VT) by fall over Casey Roberts, 1:22