Friday, March 17
St. Louis, Mo.
11:00 AM
Lehigh University
at
NCAA Championships
D. Cruz earns semifinal berth, four Mountain Hawks to wrestle for All-America honors Friday night
3/17/2017 3:58:00 PM | Men's Wrestling
Brackets/Team Scores
ST. LOUIS – Junior Darian Cruz reached the semifinals at 125 becoming a two-time All-American in the process and four other Mountain Hawks will wrestle for All-America honors Friday night after a solid afternoon session at the NCAA Championships Friday at Scottrade Center.
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Cruz won a 5-2 decision over Sean Fausz of N.C. State to earn Lehigh's 146th All-America medal and become Lehigh's first semifinalist since Nathaniel Brown in 2015.
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The Mountain Hawks finished the session with 25.5 points, good for 11th place.
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(3/17/2017) Wrestling at NCAAs, session 3, 3/17/17
In the quarterfinal match with Fausz, Cruz scored takedowns in each of the first two periods and yielded just two escapes. The No. 4 seed will now face top seed Thomas Gilman of Iowa in the semifinals.
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Lehigh wrestlers went 5-1 in Friday's second round of consolations, with four of those five winners also prevailing in their second match of the day.
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Sophomore Scott Parker defeated Cornell's Mark Grey 6-3, for his second win over the Big Red senior in the last two weeks, then broke open a close match with a four-point move to defat N.C. State's Jamal Morris. Parker will now face No. 11 Bryan Landry of Buffalo for All-America honors at 133.
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Senior Laike Gardner reached the round of 12 for the first time in his career. First, he picked up his first win in four tries against Patricio Lugo of Edinboro, winning 12-6 behind a couple strong throws that resulted in a 6-2 lead after one and a 9-2 lead after two. Gardner then used a second period reversal and a strong third period ride to defeat Josh Maruca of Arizona State. In the round of 12 at 149, Gardner will face the No. 4 seed Micah Jordan of Ohio State. Jordan edged Gardner in overtime in November and was upended by Randy Cruz in the round of 12 last year at 141.
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At 174, sophomore Ryan Preisch bounced back with two victories. He bested Penn's Casey Kent for the third time this season, 10-6 the final score this time around. Preisch used three takedowns and a reversal to build an 8-1 lead before Kent fought back to avoid the major decision. In his third round consolation, Preisch beat Wisconsin's Ryan Christensen 7-2 to earn a round of 12 date with Michigan's Myles Amine, who he defeated 6-2 on January 29.
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Senior Doug Vollaro knocked off two seeded wrestlers to reach the round of 12 at 285. First Vollaro scored takedowns in the second and third periods to knock off No. 6 Austin Schafer of Oklahoma State. Then, Vollaro used an early offensive onslaught to take out 14th-seeded Thomas Haines of Lock Haven, scoring two first period takedowns and posting a 7-3 victory. Vollaro will face Minnesota's Michael Kroells in the round of 12.
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At 141, senior Randy Cruz saw his career come to an end one win shy of a third straight berth in the round of 12. Cruz won his second round consolation, locking up a cradle for two and two and using a strong ride to blank Central Michigan's Mason Smith 5-0. In the third round of consolations, Cruz scored the first takedown against No. 3 Joey McKenna of Stanford, but McKenna came back to score a takedown in the second and reversal in the third to win 4-3.
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Cruz wraps up his career as a two-time EIWA Champion and 2016 All-American with a career record of 102-40.
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Freshman Cole Walter was the lone Mountain Hawk eliminated in the second round of consolations as he dropped an 8-4 decision to Northern Iowa's Bryce Steiert as he wraps up his freshman campaign at 21-11.
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Penn State has opened up a 15 point lead on the field with 74 points through session three. Ohio State is second with 59 points, while Iowa is third a point behind.
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The NCAA Championships continue Friday evening with the championship semifinals and Lehigh's four round of 12 matches, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT. The session will be televised on ESPN and WatchESPN, while audio coverage for all Lehigh matches will be available at Lehighsports.com/watch.
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125 – No. 4 Darian Cruz
Quarterfinals: dec. No. 12 Sean Fausz (NC State) 5-2
Semifinals: No. 1 Thomas Gilman (Iowa)
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133 – No. 9 Scott Parker
Second round consolation: dec. Mark Grey (Cornell) 6-3
Third round consolation: dec. No. 15 Jamal Morris (NC State) 7-3
Fourth round consolation: No. 11 Bryan Landry (Buffalo)
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141 – No. 11 Randy Cruz - Eliminated
Second round consolation: dec. Mason Smith (Central Michigan) 5-0
Third round consolation: L by dec. No. 3 Joey McKenna (Stanford) 4-3
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149 – No. 10 Laike Gardner
Second round consolation: dec. No. 8 Patricio Lugo (Edinboro) 12-6
Third round consolation: dec. Josh Maruca (Arizona St.) 3-2
Fourth round consolation: No. 4 Micah Jordan (Ohio St.)
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165 – Cole Walter - Eliminated
Second round consolation: L by dec. No. 11 Bryce Steiert (UNI) 8-4
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174 – No. 6 Ryan Preisch
Second round consolation: dec. No. 10 Casey Kent (Penn) 10-6
Third round consolation: dec. Ryan Christensen (Wisconsin) 7-2
Fourth round consolation: No. 9 Myles Amine (Michigan)
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285 – Doug Vollaro
Second round consolation: dec. No. 6 Austin Schafer (Okla. St.) 5-1
Third round consolation: dec. No. 14 Thomas Haines (Lock Haven) 7-3
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ST. LOUIS – Junior Darian Cruz reached the semifinals at 125 becoming a two-time All-American in the process and four other Mountain Hawks will wrestle for All-America honors Friday night after a solid afternoon session at the NCAA Championships Friday at Scottrade Center.
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Cruz won a 5-2 decision over Sean Fausz of N.C. State to earn Lehigh's 146th All-America medal and become Lehigh's first semifinalist since Nathaniel Brown in 2015.
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The Mountain Hawks finished the session with 25.5 points, good for 11th place.
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In the quarterfinal match with Fausz, Cruz scored takedowns in each of the first two periods and yielded just two escapes. The No. 4 seed will now face top seed Thomas Gilman of Iowa in the semifinals.
Â
Lehigh wrestlers went 5-1 in Friday's second round of consolations, with four of those five winners also prevailing in their second match of the day.
Â
Sophomore Scott Parker defeated Cornell's Mark Grey 6-3, for his second win over the Big Red senior in the last two weeks, then broke open a close match with a four-point move to defat N.C. State's Jamal Morris. Parker will now face No. 11 Bryan Landry of Buffalo for All-America honors at 133.
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Senior Laike Gardner reached the round of 12 for the first time in his career. First, he picked up his first win in four tries against Patricio Lugo of Edinboro, winning 12-6 behind a couple strong throws that resulted in a 6-2 lead after one and a 9-2 lead after two. Gardner then used a second period reversal and a strong third period ride to defeat Josh Maruca of Arizona State. In the round of 12 at 149, Gardner will face the No. 4 seed Micah Jordan of Ohio State. Jordan edged Gardner in overtime in November and was upended by Randy Cruz in the round of 12 last year at 141.
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At 174, sophomore Ryan Preisch bounced back with two victories. He bested Penn's Casey Kent for the third time this season, 10-6 the final score this time around. Preisch used three takedowns and a reversal to build an 8-1 lead before Kent fought back to avoid the major decision. In his third round consolation, Preisch beat Wisconsin's Ryan Christensen 7-2 to earn a round of 12 date with Michigan's Myles Amine, who he defeated 6-2 on January 29.
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Senior Doug Vollaro knocked off two seeded wrestlers to reach the round of 12 at 285. First Vollaro scored takedowns in the second and third periods to knock off No. 6 Austin Schafer of Oklahoma State. Then, Vollaro used an early offensive onslaught to take out 14th-seeded Thomas Haines of Lock Haven, scoring two first period takedowns and posting a 7-3 victory. Vollaro will face Minnesota's Michael Kroells in the round of 12.
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At 141, senior Randy Cruz saw his career come to an end one win shy of a third straight berth in the round of 12. Cruz won his second round consolation, locking up a cradle for two and two and using a strong ride to blank Central Michigan's Mason Smith 5-0. In the third round of consolations, Cruz scored the first takedown against No. 3 Joey McKenna of Stanford, but McKenna came back to score a takedown in the second and reversal in the third to win 4-3.
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Cruz wraps up his career as a two-time EIWA Champion and 2016 All-American with a career record of 102-40.
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Freshman Cole Walter was the lone Mountain Hawk eliminated in the second round of consolations as he dropped an 8-4 decision to Northern Iowa's Bryce Steiert as he wraps up his freshman campaign at 21-11.
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Penn State has opened up a 15 point lead on the field with 74 points through session three. Ohio State is second with 59 points, while Iowa is third a point behind.
Â
The NCAA Championships continue Friday evening with the championship semifinals and Lehigh's four round of 12 matches, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT. The session will be televised on ESPN and WatchESPN, while audio coverage for all Lehigh matches will be available at Lehighsports.com/watch.
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125 – No. 4 Darian Cruz
Quarterfinals: dec. No. 12 Sean Fausz (NC State) 5-2
Semifinals: No. 1 Thomas Gilman (Iowa)
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133 – No. 9 Scott Parker
Second round consolation: dec. Mark Grey (Cornell) 6-3
Third round consolation: dec. No. 15 Jamal Morris (NC State) 7-3
Fourth round consolation: No. 11 Bryan Landry (Buffalo)
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141 – No. 11 Randy Cruz - Eliminated
Second round consolation: dec. Mason Smith (Central Michigan) 5-0
Third round consolation: L by dec. No. 3 Joey McKenna (Stanford) 4-3
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149 – No. 10 Laike Gardner
Second round consolation: dec. No. 8 Patricio Lugo (Edinboro) 12-6
Third round consolation: dec. Josh Maruca (Arizona St.) 3-2
Fourth round consolation: No. 4 Micah Jordan (Ohio St.)
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165 – Cole Walter - Eliminated
Second round consolation: L by dec. No. 11 Bryce Steiert (UNI) 8-4
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174 – No. 6 Ryan Preisch
Second round consolation: dec. No. 10 Casey Kent (Penn) 10-6
Third round consolation: dec. Ryan Christensen (Wisconsin) 7-2
Fourth round consolation: No. 9 Myles Amine (Michigan)
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285 – Doug Vollaro
Second round consolation: dec. No. 6 Austin Schafer (Okla. St.) 5-1
Third round consolation: dec. No. 14 Thomas Haines (Lock Haven) 7-3
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Players Mentioned
184
/ Men's Wrestling
125
/ Men's Wrestling
141
/ Men's Wrestling
149
/ Men's Wrestling
133
/ Men's Wrestling
165/174
/ Men's Wrestling
285
/ Men's Wrestling
157/165
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