March 19, 2004

NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Live Brackets

St. Louis, Mo. - Moving up one spot in team points, Missouri closed out the third session in 14th place with 23.5 points. Only redshirt freshman Ben Askren will advance to tonight's 6:30 p.m. semifinals televised on ESPN2 in select markets. Oklahoma State continues to lead race for the team title with 61 points.

Taking his 174 pound match into overtime, sixth-seeded redshirt freshman Ben Askren scored a 12-7 victory over third-seeded Brad Dillon of Lehigh. Exchanging leads throughout the match, Askren entered the third period with the score at 7-6. Taking an escape at the end of the third, Dillon was able to tie things up and take the bout into the first one-minute overtime. With a loud crowd behind him, Askren landed a takedown and three-point nearfall to advance to tonight's semi-finals. Askren will take to the center circle against Tyler Nixt of Iowa on one of two center mats in the Savvis Center.

In his third match of the season against sophomore Oklahoma State wrestler Zack Esposito, senior Jeremy Spates suffered a disappointing loss, 5-3, in the Friday morning quarterfinals at 149 pounds. With an exchange of shots throughout the seven-minute match, Esposito was able to score the only takedown of the bout, with Spates making an escape for one point. Ending the second period at 3-1 in favor of OSU, Spates landed a reversal for two points, but Esposito made an escape and added a final point for 1:12 of riding time.

Senior Kenny Burleson lost his first match in 11 pairings, dropping a 9-6 decision to No. 4 seed Jake Percival of Ohio. Burleson entered the match as the fifth seed. Closing out the first period tied at three, Percival jumped ahead with a two-point lead, scoring an escape and takedown in the second period, to Burleson's one escape. Neosho, Mo., native Burleson was able to score two more points for escapes in the final two minutes of action, but Percival went for a reversal bringing his point total to nine.

Both Spates and Burleson will compete in tonight's wrestlebacks, beginning at 6:30 p.m., in the Savvis Center. Spates will face off with Matt Storniolo (Penn State), while Burleson will take on Derek Zinck of Lehigh.

Attempting to wrestle their way back to All-American honors, redshirt freshman Matt Pell (184) and sophomore Jeff Foust (197) took wins in their first of two early afternoon matches. Pell wrestled first at 184 pounds, sending Missouri's second match of the Championships into overtime. With no points scored in the first two periods, Nick Halsey of Cal-Poly took an escape and the lead. With over a minute of riding time accumulated by Halsey, Pell needed a takedown to tie at two. Showing one second on the scoreboard, Pell got his two points, and wasted no time in sending Halsey to the mat for a takedown 10 seconds into overtime.

In his second match of the day, Pell met with Big 12 opponent Travis Pascoe of Nebraska, winning an 11-6 decision to advance to tonight's next match against Brian Glyn of Illinois. Pell racked up the first period points with a takedown, two point nearfall and escape. Scoring an escape and three-point nearfall in the second period, Pell held Pascoe scoreless for 6:28 of action. In the last meeting between the two wrestlers, Pascoe took a 10-5 decision in front of his hometown crowd in Lincoln, Neb. (Jan. 24)

Foust and seventh-seeded Chris Jones of Drexel shook hands on mat eight of the eight mat layout in the Savvis Center. Leading 8-0 in the second period, Drexel was forced to take a medical forfeit, giving Foust the win and Missouri 2.5 team points. Unfortunately, Foust would lose his next match, dropping to J.D. Bergman of Ohio State 6-3. Down by only one point at the start of the second period, Bergman added three points to the board with an escape and takedown. Foust took one escape in each period.

Missouri Results:
149: Zack Esposito (Oklahoma State) dec Jeremy Spates (MU): 5-3
157: Jake Percival (Ohio) dec Kenny Burleson (MU): 9-6
174: Ben Askren (MU) dec Brad Dillon (Lehigh): 12-7
184: Matt Pell (MU) dec Nick Halsey (Cal-Poly): 4-2 OT
184: Matt Pell (MU) dec Travis Pascoe (NU): 11-6
197: Jeff Foust (MU) wins by medical forfeit over Chris Jones (Drexel)
197: J.D. Bergman (Ohio State) dec Jeff Foust (MU): 6-3