Injuries + Tough Opponent = First Dual Loss
ST. CLOUD, Minn. (12/10/14)—A rash of injuries plus a top 5 ranked Division II opponent is not a good mix. The Cobbers found out about that "oil and water" combination as they got run over 40-3 at No.5-ranked St. Cloud State.
The loss is the first of the year in a dual meet for Concordia. The Cobbers entered the dual with the Huskies 3-0 but fall to 3-1. CC has yet to wrestle against an NCAA Division III team this season. St. Cloud State wins their opening dual meet of the season and is victorious for the 19th consecutive time at Hallenbeck Hall. Their home win streak dates back to the 2010 season.
Concordia was wrestling without several starters who have suffered injuries in the past two weeks of competition. Even with their starting lineup intact it would have been a tough go for the Cobbers as St. Cloud State has five wrestlers ranked in the top 8 of the country in the most recent NCAA Division II Coaches' Poll.
The lone bright spot for the Cobbers came at 184 where senior Sebastian Gardner came away with a 9-5 decision over Ben McPhail. Gardner was able to stay on top of his opponent and hold the momentum for most of the three periods. McPhail was 11-4 coming into the match and finished in second place at last weekend's Dragon Open.
Gardner is now 9-4 on the season and has won five of his last six matches. He is now 9-2 in his last 11 bouts.
A trio of Concordia freshmen gained experience against tough opponents and lost by close decisions. Jakob Stageberg battled throughout his match at 125 and lost by a single point to Joel Salomon who won the Dragon Open and is now 6-1 on the season. Stageberg continues to impress in his first collegiate season and is now 15-7 on the year. His 15 wins are the third most by any CC athlete this season.
Adam Presler stepped into the starting lineup at 141 and lost an 8-2 decision to Mike Rhone. Presler is now 5-11 in 2014 and has won three of his last five matches.
Kody Van Den Eykel dropped a 12-5 decision at 197 to Trae Story. Van Den Eykel showed his improvement in the dual-meet loss to Story. The two wrestlers squared off at the Cobber Open two-plus weeks ago and Story scored a major decision in that match. Van Den Eykel is currently 8-9 on the year.
Concordia will have an 11-day break for finals before returning to the mat to participate in the Desert Duals in Las Vegas, Nev. on Sunday, Dec. 21.
NCAA Wrestling Box Score
Final Score:
#6 Concordia-Moorhead 3 at #5 St. Cloud State 40
Date: December 10, 2014
Location: St. Cloud, Minn.
Arena: Halenbeck Hall
Start Time: 7 p.m.
End Time: 8:05 p.m.
Total Time: 1:05
Individual Match Results:
125: Joel Salomon (SCS) dec. over Jakob Stageberg (CC); 3-2 (SCSU 3-0)
133: Jarred Oftedahl (SCS) pin fall Will McCarthy (CC); 2:15 (SCSU 9-0)
141: Mike Rhone (SCS) dec. Adam Presler (CC); 8-2 (SCSU 12-0)
149: Josh Howk (SCS) pin fall Yonas Gebreab (CC); 1:00 (SCSU 18-0)
157: Clint Poster (SCS) maj. dec. Ben Cousins (CC); 16-5 (SCSU 22-0)
165: Gabe Fogarty (SCS) tech. fall Jake Krogstad (CC); 15-0 4:24 (SCSU 27-0)
174: Clayton Jennissen (SCS) maj. dec. Dane Ringquist (CC); 16-5 (SCSU 31-0)
184: Sebastian Gardner (CC) dec. Ben McPhail (SCS); 9-5 (SCSU 31-3)
197: Trae Story (SCS) dec. Kody Vandeneykel (CC); 12-5 (SCSU 34-3)
285: Austin Goergen (SCS) pin fall Tyler Hoffman (CC); 1:52 (SCSU 40-3)