Roller Coaster Match Ends With No. 19 Nebraska on Top of Drexel

Saturday, February 17

Philadelphia, Pa.

12:00 pm

Drexel University

Nebraska

Billy Haydt opened the match with a pinning of Nebraska's Stephen Dwyer

Roller Coaster Match Ends With No. 19 Nebraska on Top of Drexel

2/17/2007 3:06:45 PM | Wrestling

Philadelphia, Pa.- Drexel dropped a back-and-forth match with No. 19 Nebraska, 25-13, in the Dragons' season finale at the Daskalakis Athletic Center. Drexel (17-11) held the lead on two separate occasions only to have Nebraska (9-8) storm back. Despite the 12-point margin of victory, the outcome was in doubt until the final match of the day when a trailing Chris Oliver pinned Drexel's Ryan Hluschak (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh). Prior to the match, Drexel's three seniors were honored as part of Senior Day festivities.

The opening match gave the crowd a taste of the drama to come as the Cornhuskers' 165-pounder Stephen Dwyer led Billy Haydt (Bath, Pa./Northampton), 5-2, with just over a minute remaining in the match. Haydt stunned the audience by earning a takedown with a cement mixer that left Dwyer in big trouble. Haydt pinned him just a few seconds later as suddenly the Dragons had jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Nebraska rebounded by taking the 174-pound match on a tie-breaker and the next two matches by a combined three points. The Cornhuskers tallied just two total takedowns in their first three victories but nevertheless led 9-6.

Senior heavyweight Chris Cowen (Mexico, N.Y./Mexico) responded by earning an 11-6 decision over Cameron Browne. Cowen, in his final match at the DAC, evened the match score at 9-9. Nebraska regained the lead, however, when fifth-ranked Paul Donahoe defeated Steve Mytych (Wyoming, Pa./Northampton) at 125 pounds with a 13-6 decision. The Dragons looked to junior Bill Martin (Avon Grove, Pa./Landenberg) at 133 pounds to take back Drexel's momentum. Martin was tied with Nebraska's Pat Aleksanyan entering the third period when Martin exploded for perhaps his finest period of collegiate wrestling. Martin started the period on bottom and quickly escaped. He then earned a takedown and three near-fall points as he increased his lead to 8-2. Aleksanyan escaped but in the closing moments of the match was again taken down by Martin. The takedown in addition to his riding time advantage gave Martin an 11-3 major decision victory and handed the Dragons four team points and the lead. Drexel led the Cornhuskers, 13-12, with just three matches remaining.

Nebraska again responded with a major decision victory at 141 pounds and a 5-1 decision at 149 points to give the Cornhuskers a 19-13 lead as just one match remained. Eighth-ranked Ryan Hluschak would face No. 13 Chris Oliver at 157 pounds in a highly anticipated match. If Hluschak was able to pin Oliver, the Dragons would have tied the Cornhuskers. Almost immediately after the opening whistle, Hluschak took down Oliver and earned two back points with a near fall that had the crowd on its feet. Hluschak earned two more takedowns in the second period while an escape to open the third period gave him a 9-4 lead early in the final period. Oliver responded with a takedown as a stunned crowd watched him pin Hluschak just seconds later to give the Cornhuskers a 25-13 victory.

The Dragons will travel to Fairfax, Va. to wrestle in the CAA Championships on March 2.

Results:
Nebraska 25, Drexel 13
125 – Paul Donahoe (N) dec. Steve Mytych (D), 13-6
133 – Billy Martin (D) m.d. Pat Aleksanyan (N), 11-3
141 – Dominick Moyer (N) m.d. Dave Gilio (D), 12-4
149 – Jordan Burroughs (N) dec. Mark Cartella (D), 5-1
157 – Chris Oliver (N) wbf. Ryan Hluschak (D), 6:31
165 – Billy Haydt (D) wbf. Stephen Dwyer (N), 5:57
174 – Marc Harwood (N) dec. Nick Kozar (D), 4-3 t.b.
184 – Levi Wofford (N) dec. Brian Stouffer (D), 4-1
197 – Craig Brester (N) dec. Jon Oplinger (D), 4-2
285 – Chris Cowen (D) dec. Cameron Browne (N), 11-6