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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - In front of over 800 passionate fans inside the WVU Coliseum, the West Virginia University wrestling team scored a 28-9 victory over the Ohio Bobcats on Friday night.
"Sometimes duals are a war of attrition" WVU fifth-year coach Tim Flynn said, "We're just a little bit better than we were last year and maybe Ohio was a little beat up tonight, so we took advantage of it."
WVU (5-1) claimed back-to-back 6-2 decisions out of the gate at 125 and 133 pounds to take a 6-0 lead over Ohio (2-1) heading into the 141-pound bout.
There, redshirt freshman Jordan Titus took down Ohio's Aidan Waszak twice in the first period and scored a four-point nearfall in the second to lead 8-2 after two. Titus added a dominate third period by pulling off an escape and then turning a takedown into a two-point nearfall to pick up a 14-2 major decision.
Redshirt junior Sam Hillegas, ranked No. 24 in the country at 149 pounds, recorded an early takedown and eventually turned his opponent over for the pin in 1:11 and increase WVU's lead to 16-0.
OU's Peyten Hellar (Warren Local), ranked No. 24 in the country at 157 pounds, registered a 8-6 decision over redshirt senior Alex Hornfeck to get the Bobcats within 13 points to close out the first half of the event.
After No. 8 Peyton Hall defeated Ohio's Jordan Slivka by seven (10-3) at 165 pounds to put WVU back up by 16, redshirt junior Anthony Carman outlasted sophomore Zayne Lehman to seal a 6-5 decision, as well as lock up the team victory for the Mountaineers.
Lehman scored the first takedown in the first period and tacked on a reversal to go up 4-0 late in the second period. Carman responded with a reversal of his own to cut the deficit in half entering the third period down 4-2. The Glen Dale pulled off a reversal 13 seconds into the third to tie the match at 4-4. The sophomore responded with an escape to go back up by one with 30 seconds left in the bout, but Carman shot for Lehman's legs to secure the takedown and moments later body slammed him to the mat as time expired.
Redshirt junior Michael Wolfgram, ranked No. 19 in the country in the heavyweight division, sent all the fans home happy, as the York, Pennsylvania, native pinned Ohio's Jacob Padilla to end the night.
The Mountaineers are back in action on Sunday, Jan. 8, as they travel to face No. 21 Pitt in the 67th edition of the Backyard Brawl. Dual time is set for 2 p.m. ET inside Fitzgerald Field House.
"I want to see us compete hard and be smart," coach Flynn said. "Pitt has a ranked team, and we have to wrestle really well to get a win."