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The much anticipated match between No. 8 Oklahoma State and No. 2 Iowa was prefaced with talent and excitement, with the winner looking to be the team that will unseat Penn State in the NCAA's. However, it was the Hawkeyes that controlled the mat from the start.
The match started at 125 pounds with OSU's Eddie Klimara (ranked 11) against Thomas Gilman (5). Gilman made quick work of Klimara and won by major decision 15-5 giving Iowa a 4-0 lead. Next came Gary Wayne Harding in his college debut being pitted against No. 5 Cory Clark. Harding held his own for the first two periods, but in the third, Clark was able to ride out harding to win 10-5 and gave Iowa a 7-0 lead.
In the 141-pound match, No. 20 Dean Heil stepped forward to face No. 8 Josh Dziewa (Did I mention Iowa was loaded?). Heil led for most of the match, even withstanding a kick to the face (Dziewa was called for unsportsmanlike conduct), but was caught and pinned in the third period. Josh Kindig then tried to revive the empty feeling in Gallagher-Iba, but was taken down by Brandon Sorenson and the Hawkeyes soared to a 16-0 lead.
Anthony Collica tried his might with Mike Kelly, but Kelly was able to come from behind to a 9-6 decision. Alex Dieringer was able to score the first match for the Pokes, taking down Patrick Rhoads to the tune of a 12-6 advantage and trimmed the Iowa lead to 19-4. But in the 174 pound match, Mike Evans reclaimed the momentum for the Hawkeyes after winning by a tech. fall over Jordan Rogers.
But in the 185-pound bout, with the Pokes now only fighting for pride and the program, No. 15 Nathan Boyd was able to ride a near-fall and and tenacity to upset No. 7 Sammy Brooks 9-6. With the fans revitalized, Luke Bean, stepping in for Austin Schafer, battled with No. 6 Nathan Burak of Iowa. Burak would go on to take the edge from Bean 4-3, leaving only the heavyweight bout to be decided.
No. 4 Austin Marsden for OKState and No. 1 Bobby Telford for Iowa, a much-looked-forward-to match, set the stage for the end of a rough day for the Cowboys. Marsden fought hard, but Telford outlasted the unrelenting push to win 4-3, sealing the contest 30-7.
The Pokes will look to rebound from the tough loss when they step back on the mats of GIA to take on conference foe West Virginia on Jan. 16.
Here's the post-match presser: