STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State wrestling team capped off a weekend sweep in Gallagher-Iba Arena with a 28-7 victory over No. 23 West Virginia as it improved to 8-1 overall and 4-0 in conference matches.
The Cowboys won eight of 10 matches, that included bonus point wins from Daton Fix, Travis Wittlake and Luke Surber.
“We did a nice job picking up that first takedown in the first period,” head coach John Smith said. “I think everyone scored a takedown in the first period except for Blankenship and Wyatt. So, that’s what you’re looking for when eight of your ten pick up that first takedown… With [Travis Wittlake and Luke Surber] both of them picking up major decisions and scoring points. Doing a good job of riding and getting off bottom. Just overall, a good effort up there.”
Fix put the Cowboys up 6-4 early into the dual when he pinned Davin Rhoads in the third period. The fall is the third of the season for the second-ranked Cowboy who moved to 14-0 on the season.
Wittlake and Surber finished their weekends with a pair of major decisions after both collecting 17-5 victories against Northern Colorado on Friday. Wittlake took down No. 30 Anthony Carman seven times on his way to a 16-7 victory, which gave him a total of 14 takedowns in his last two outings. The next Cowboy on the mat, Surber scored a takedown in each of the first two periods, then exploded in the third scoring four takedowns on his way to a 14-5 major decision.
Following Fix’s fall at 133 pounds, OSU won decisions in the next four bouts to jump out to a 15-4 lead. Carter Young was strong in the top position as he rode Jordan Titus to a 5-1 decision, while Victor Voinovich collected his 11th win of the season and Kaden Gfeller defeated No. 28 Alex Hornfeck, 5-3.
The Mountaineers would take their second victory of the day at 165 pounds where No. 12 Peyton Hall defeated No. 22 Wyatt Sheets in a close match. No. 8 Killian Cardinale defeated Zach Blankenship 14-4 to start the dual.
The Cowboys would win the final four bouts for the third consecutive dual as Dustin Plott and Konner Doucet claimed decisions over around the major decisions from Wittlake and Surber. Plott fell behind West Virginia’s Scott Joll early in the first, but a pair of reversals and a takedown kept him in the match. Two more takedowns in the third period secured a 14-11 decision for Plott in a high-scoring affair. Doucet closed out the match for the Cowboys with a 3-1 win over No. 26 Michael Wolfgram with a first period takedown and third period escape.
Oklahoma State will put its five-match win streak on the line next weekend against a pair of ranked conference opponents. OSU will square off with No. 15 Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls on Saturday before taking on No. 4 Iowa State in Ames on Sunday.
No. 12 Oklahoma State 28, No. 23 West Virginia 7
Jan. 22, 2023 I Gallagher-Iba Arena I Stillwater, Okla.
Attendance: 4,045
125: No. 8 Killian Cardinale (WVU) MD Zach Blankenship (OSU), 14-4
133: No. 2 Daton Fix (OSU) fall Davin Rhoads (WVU), 5:47
141: No. 32 Carter Young (OSU) dec. Jordan Titus (WVU), 5-1
149: No. 20 Victor Voinovich (OSU) dec. Jeff Boyd (WVU), 8-3
157: No. 11 Kaden Gfeller (OSU) dec. No. 28 Alex Hornfeck (WVU) , 5-3
165: No. 12 Peyton Hall (WVU) dec. No. 22 Wyatt Sheets (OSU), 6-2
174: No. 6 Dustin Plott (OSU) dec. Scott Joll (WVU), 14-11
184: No. 12 Travis Wittlake (OSU) MD No. 30 Anthony Carman (WVU), 16-7
197: No. 21 Luke Surber (OSU) MD No. 32 Austin Cooley, 14-5
HWT: No. 25 Konner Doucet (OSU) dec. No. 26 Michael Wolfgram (WVU), 3-1
