No. 3 Oklahoma State wrestling edges No. 5 North Carolina State 19-16 in Italy

The No. 3-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team and No. 5 North Carolina State split the dual at five matches apiece, but the Cowboys three bonus-point wins were the difference in a 19-16 win Friday in the Tussle for the Troops on the Naples Naval Base in Naples, Italy.

It was the first NCAA wrestling dual overseas.

OSU (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) trailed with two bouts remaining, and picked up wins from redshirt junior 165-pounder Chandler Rogers and junior 174-pounder Jacobe Smith to remain undefeated this season.

North Carolina State (10-1) got on the scoreboard first at 184 pounds with No. 3 Pete Renda, a 2016 All-American, grabbing a 3-0 decision over freshman Keegan Moore.

OSU responded with wins at 197 and 285 pounds to take a 7-3 lead.

Redshirt junior Preston Weigel, ranked No. 4 and an OSU returning All-American, rallied from a 2-0 deficit to claim a 5-4 decision with riding time over No. 7 Michael Macchiavello.

Fellow redshirt junior and No. 9-ranked wrestler Derek White recorded the first bonus points of the dual with a dominant 8-0 major decision against Malik McDonald.

The Wolfpack regained momentum when No. 8 Sean Fausz, a two-time NCAA qualifier, upset All-American and No. 4 redshirt sophomore Nick Piccininni 9-5.

At 133 pounds, All-American and fellow redshirt sophomore Kaid Brock gave the Cowboys some separation with a 16-1 technical fall in 6 minutes, 8 seconds over Tariq Wilson. Brock pushed the pace in the match and recorded two takedowns and four nearfalls for a 12-6 OSU lead.

NC State then rallied with three consecutive wins, starting No. 4 Kevin Jack upsetting No. 2 Dean Heil at 141 pounds.

Jack dealt the defending two-time NCAA champion Heil his second straight loss with a buzzer-beating takedown for a 4-3 win. The series is tied 2-2 between Jack and Heil.

Redshirt sophomore Boo Lewallen didn’t disappoint in his first varsity start for the Cowboys. He scored a late escape against No. 16 Beau Bonahue to even the match 4-4 and push it to overtime. In sudden victory, however, Lewallen was unable to fend off Donahue’s takedown.

NC State freshman Hayden Hidlay, ranked No. 3 at 157 pounds, gave the Wolfpack the lead with a dominant 12-4 major decision with riding time against redshirt junior Jonce Blaylock.

No. 8 Rogers responded with a 13-1 major decision over Brian Hamann to even the dual at 16 apiece.

At 174 pounds, Smith scored three takedowns for a 7-2 decision over Daniel Bullard to capture the win for OSU.

The Cowboys return to the mat at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14 at No. 8 Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

No. 4 Oklahoma State 19, No. 5 North Carolina State 16

184: No. 3 Pete Renda (NCST) def. Keegan Moore (OSU), 3-0 dec.
197: No. 4 Preston Weigel (OSU) def. No. 7 Michael Macchiavello (NCST), 5-4 dec.
285: No. 9 Derek White (OSU) def. Malik McDonald (NCST), 8-0 maj dec.
125: No. 8 Sean Fausz (NCST) def. No. 4 Nick Piccininni (OSU), 9-5 dec.
133: No. 6 Kaid Brock (OSU) def. Tariq Wilson (NCST), 16-1 TF
141: No. 4 Kevin Jack (NCST) def. No. 2 Dean Heil (OSU), 4-3 dec.
149: No. 16 Beau Donahue (NCST) def. Boo Lewallen (OSU), 6-4 SV
157: No. 3 Hayden Hidlay (NCST) def. Jonce Blaylock (OSU), 12-4 maj dec.
165: No. 8 Chandler Rogers (OSU) def. Brian Hamann (NCST), 13-1 maj dec.
174: No. 11 Jacobe Smith (OSU) def. Daniel Bullard (NCST), 7-2 dec.