With the match tied at 16, Konrad met Mocco for the first time since the National Duals when Konrad pinned Mocco to end his 85-match winning streak. Following a scoreless first period, the pair traded escapes to keep the score tied at one. Konrad nearly ended the match with a takedown, but it was waved off as the third period came to an end. In overtime, Konrad countered a Mocco shot and circled around to secure the takedown 26 seconds into the extra period.
With the win, Konrad improved to 31-0 on the year and earned his third victory of the season against Mocco. Konrad's 31-match winning streak ranks sixth in school history. Mocco won all three meetings between the pair a year ago, including an overtime win in last year's NCAA finals. Konrad has won 60 of his last 61 matches.
Much like last month's meeting at the National Duals, the Cowboys took an early lead with two wins. Fourth-ranked Coleman Scott defeated redshirt freshman Travis Lang, 12-5, at 125 pounds. Scott was seconds away from a major decision, but Lang scored a takedown with less than five seconds to go to deny the bonus point.
Leading 3-0, Oklahoma State extended its advantage with a 2-1 win by second-ranked Nathan Morgan over third-ranked Mack Reiter at 133 pounds. Morgan rode Reiter the entire second period and took his first lead with an escape early in the third. Morgan was penalized for stalling to tie the match at one, but his riding time advantage gave him his third win over Reiter in his career.
Just like last month, it was sophomore Manuel Rivera that got Minnesota back in the match. Rivera earned the fall is 6:23 against Justin Porter at 141 pounds to tie the match at six. Rivera took a 9-4 lead with a takedown in the third and turned Porter to his back to earn the fall. Oklahoma State was wrestling without 19th-ranked Daniel Frishkorn, a wrestler that Rivera had beaten twice this season.
That win set up the anticipated rematch between true freshman Dustin Schlatter and the Cowboy's defending NCAA Champion Zack Esposito at 149 pounds. Ranked number one in the country, Schlatter matched his earlier win against Esposito with an astounding 11-2 major decision. Esposito took an early 2-0 lead on a takedown and held a 2-1 lead after one period. In the second with Esposito starting down, Schlatter shocked Esposito with a pair of three-point near falls to take over the match. Schlatter improved to 32-1 on the season.
Schlatter's older brother, C.P., followed with a 7-3 decision against 15th-ranked Kevin Ward at 157 pounds to give Minnesota a 13-6 lead. Ward had won two of the three previous meetings between the pair. Schlatter struck early with a takedown 27 seconds into the match. Schatter took a 5-2 lead with a takedown with 22 seconds to go in the second period.
The Cowboys began their comeback with wins in three of the next four matches to pull even at 16 apiece. Defending NCAA Champion Johny Hendricks claimed a 3-1 decision against ninth-ranked Matt Nagel at 165 pounds. In an even match, the difference was three stalling calls against Nagel. Nagel was penalized a point in the first and second periods. Hendricks escaped early in the third period and claimed his fifth win in six tries against Nagel.
Oklahoma State kept the momentum going at 174 as ninth-ranked Brandon Mason earned a 3-1 decision against 14th-ranked Gabriel Dretsch. The two had split their two previous meetings. Following a scoreless first, Mason scored an early second-period takedown to take a 2-0 lead. Mason earned an early third-period escape and held for the victory.
Now leading 13-12, 10th-ranked Roger Kish gave the Golden Gophers some breathing room with a 5-1 decision against Rusty Blackmon at 184 pounds. Leading 2-1 with riding time, Kish put the match away with a takedown with less than 10 seconds to go in the match.
As expected, two-time NCAA Champion Jake Rosholt tied the match with a 14-2 major decision against the Golden Gophers' Mitch Kuhlman at 197 pounds. A natural 165- pounder, Kuhlman was giving up nearly 17 pounds in the match. Kuhlman surprised Rosholt with an early takedown, but from there, it was all Rosholt. He earned a first-period near fall to take a 6-2 lead en route to the win.
That victory set up Konrad's clinching victory. Oklahoma State had won 30 matches in a row until Minnesota's 21-14 upset at the National Duals. Today, the Golden Gophers handed the Cowboys their second loss in the last 38 matches. In the last six-plus seasons, the Cowboys are 118-13-1 with seven of those losses coming at the hands of the Golden Gophers.
Minnesota will look to complete the second unbeaten season in school history next weekend when it travels to #4 Michigan and #16 Michigan State.
Minnesota 19, Oklahoma State 16
Feb. 12, 2006
Oklahoma City, Okla.
125 -- #4 Coleman Scott (OSU) dec. Travis Lang (MN), 12-5
133 -- #2 Nathan Morgan (OSU) dec. #3 Mack Reiter (MN), 2-1
141 -- #13 Manuel Rivera (MN) pinned Justin Porter (OSU), 6:23
149 -- #1 Dustin Schlatter (MN) maj. dec. #3 Zack Esposito (OSU), 11-2
157 -- #4 C.P. Schlatter (MN) dec. #15 Kevin Ward (OSU), 7-3
165 -- #2 Johny Hendricks (OSU) dec. #9 Matt Nagel (MN), 3-1
174 -- #9 Brandon Mason (OSU) dec. #14 Gabriel Dretsch (MN), 3-1
184 -- #10 Roger Kish (MN) dec. Rusty Blackmon (OSU), 5-1
197 -- #3 Jake Rosholt (OSU) maj. dec. Mitch Kuhlman (MN), 14-2
HWT -- #1 Cole Konrad (MN) dec. #2 Steve Mocco (OSU), 3-1 1OT
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