University of Missouri
Indiana
Tiger Wrestlers Defeated by Indiana 22-15
12/9/2000 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Dec. 9, 2000
Bloomington, In. - After an opening pin by John Kopnisky, the University of Missouri Wrestling Team dropped a heartbreaker to the Indiana Hoosiers Friday night 22-15.
Many of the matches were close, but the Tigers were unable to capitalize at key points throughout the night, giving Indiana the breaks they needed to win the dual.
"It's frustrating, because I know we're better than the performance we gave this evening. The team knows it," said Head Coach Brian Smith. "Everything seemed close, but we just got out-toughed. They were more physical than we were, and we made some mental errors. We didn't give ourselves the chance to win the match."
The night started out well, as 7th-ranked John Kopnisky pinned Jack Wade midway through the second period. "That was unexpected," said Coach Smith. "We were hoping for a major decision. Kop doesn't pin often, so it was a great way to start the match."
At 184, junior Ry Stone was defeated 8-3 by Indiana's Viktor Sveda. Stone scored an early takedown on the 3rd-ranked Hoosier, and held the lead until midway through the second period, when Sveda escaped to take the lead 3-2. Things went downhill from there, and Sveda won the match 8-3.
After being behind 5-2 at the end of the second period, 197-pound Dante Stone battled back to tie the match 6-6 with under a minute to go in the match against IU's Ty Matthews. Stone then locked his hands, a one point technical violation, and allowed Matthews to escape with two seconds left. Stone lost the match 8-7.
At heavyweight, junior Chad Hertzog lost the decision to Indiana's Mike Dixon 3-2, and Indiana took their first team lead, which they would hold onto the rest of the evening.
Freshman phenom Justin Spates won the 125-pound match against Greg Shaefer 13-11 after being behind 7-2 at the end of the first period. "Justin has just been wrestling great. You don't usually see a freshman down by five points make a comeback like that, but Justin is patient and capitalizes where he can in the match. He was solid tonight," said Coach Smith.
At 133, junior Jesse West was defeated by Brian Smiley 7-5.
The 141-pound match saw IU's Coyte Cooper beat Tiger sophomore J.P. Reese 13-5.
Jesse Jordan lost the 149-pound match 1-0, with an escape by Indiana's Gabe Cook in the second period to score the only point of the match. Jordan will wrestle at 157 tomorrow night against Purdue.
Kenny Burleson pinned IU's James Wade in the first period to win the match at 157. "Kenny wrestled well tonight. He's up a weight, and he was still able to come away with a big win. He will wrestle at 149 tomorrow.
Finally, Mark Vollmar lost the 165-pound match 6-2 to Indiana's Kevin Stanley. Vollmar defeated Stanley at the Missouri Open, but was unable to come away with the win in dual competition.
Tomorrow night the Tiger grapplers go at it again as they take on Purdue in Carmel, In., hometown of Tiger captain John Kopnisky. The match will be at Carmel High School, and will start at 7 p.m.
