19TH-RANKED OSU WRESTLERS FALL AT LEHIGH, 20-17

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Oregon State won four of the first five matches, then dropped the final five and a 20-17 decision to Lehigh in a non-league dual wrestling meet Friday night.
The 19th-ranked Beavers (1-1 overall, 1-0 Pacific-10) will compete in the 16-team Sheridan Tournament at Lehigh today.
"We could have dominated, but we let a couple of matches get away," OSU head coach Joe Wells said. "Fortunately, we wrestle in their tournament Saturday and we could draw some of them again and get a second chance."
For the second straight meet, the Beavers got wins at the three lightest weights from their returning NCAA qualifiers.
At 118 pounds, OSU's Jason Buce pinned Lehigh's Mike Sferra in 4:35; at 126 pounds, Jake Whisenhunt decisioned the Engineers' Mark Keller 14-4; and at 134 pounds, All-American Oscar Wood thumped Dave Esposito 23-11.
Buce has won by pin in both his matches this season.
"He took Sferra to his back off a takedown and then finished him off," Wells said of Buce. "He used his head and arm, chin- whipped him and knocked him down."
OSU's other winner was Isaac Wood at 150 pounds. He decisioned Marat Vigdorchik 12-10 after being taken down three times in the first round.
"Isaac got a big win over their Russian kid," Wells said. "He got back within 6-4, then took him down and moved ahead."
Wells said Beaver 158-pounder Jim Kutz hurt his knee in a 14-4 loss to Travis Doto, but was not sure whether Kutz would be able to wrestle Saturday.

LEHIGH 20, OREGON STATE 17
118
126
134
142
150
158
167
177
190
HWT		 Jason Buce, OSU, pinned Mike Sferra, LU, 4:35
Jake Whisenhunt, OSU, dec. Mark Keller, LU, 14-4
Oscar Wood, OSU, dec. Dave Esposito, LU, 23-11
Chris Ayres, LU, dec. Josh Whisenhunt, OSU, 9-5
Isaac Wood, OSU, dec. Marat Vigdorchik, LU, 12-10
Travis Doto, LU, dec. Jim Kutz, OSU, 14-4
Todd Palmisano, LU, dec. Jason Gutches, OSU, 10-6
John Van Doren, LU, dec. Clint Wilson, OSU, 13-5
John Leonardis, LU, dec. Sanders Freed, OSU, 7-3
Bill Closson, LU, dec. Mat Orndorff, OSU, 13-6
ATTENDANCE: 1,244


[OSU Wrestling 1997]
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