Wrestling team outduels Missouri in season opener

Based on the final score, it's difficult to say whether the IU wrestling team dominated the meet Friday night. But winning seven of ten matches is evidence to make such a claim.\nThe Hoosiers (1-0) defeated the Missouri Tigers (1-3) 22-15 Friday night in the 2000-01 season opener at University Gym. The win marked the Hoosiers' eighth consecutive win over the Tigers. The last six have been season openers. Senior Kevin Stanley's (165 pounds) 6-2 decision over the Tiger's Mark Vollmar clinched the victory for the Hoosiers in the night's last match.\n"I thought we wrestled tough despite a couple of setbacks," Stanley said. "Really, we dominated 70 percent of the dual, so we won big time if you look at it that way."\nThe opening match of the night proved to be a setback for the Hoosiers. Missouri junior John Kopnisky (174), ranked seventh nationally in his class, pinned Hoosier Jack Wade, a freshman, midway through the second period after Wade took Kopnisky down twice in the first. The Hoosiers found themselves with an early six point deficit.\n Junior Victor Sveda (184) initiated a string of Hoosier victories with a win in the second match. Sveda, ranked third nationally in his class, overcame an early takedown by Ry Stone on his way to an 8-3 victory. Sophomore Ty Matthews (197) followed for the Hoosiers and scored a crucial escape with two seconds left in the final period to post an 8-7 victory over Dante Stone. Senior Michael Dixon (heavyweight) gave the Hoosiers their third consecutive win in the match and their first team lead, which they would not relinquish. Dixon overpowered Missouri's Chad Hertzog for a 3-2 victory. IU assistant coach Mike Mena said he was impressed with the performance.\n"He has only been practicing ten days because he plays football, and he wrestled pretty well," Mena said. "That kid actually beat him last year, so that was a big task for Michael."\nThe 125-pound weight class offered the night's highest scoring match, and nearly a Hoosier upset victory. IU sophomore Greg Schaefer returned to the mat after last year's redshirt season to face 11th ranked freshman Justin Spates of Missouri. Schaefer made two early take downs in the first period to jump out to a 7-2 lead. Spates countered in the second period to come within one point of Schaefer in the second period, Spates then made an immediate reversal in the third. The match became intense when Schaefer dumped Spates to the mat and IU coaches demanded a pin. The referee disagreed and Spates eventually freed himself.\n"The kid (Spates) was rolling around a lot, but he definitely touched the whole shoulder, I saw it two times, not just one," Mena said.\nSchaefer reversed Spates to grab an 11-10 lead and needed to keep Spates in the down position for the final 14 seconds. Spates escaped and sent the match into a one-minute overtime. Spates dropped Schaefer 15 seconds into overtime for a 13-11 victory.\n"Greg went out to a big lead and then I think he kind of got excited and lost a little bit of shape," Stanley said. "I would guarantee that Greg comes out on top next time, he is just to strong for the kid."\n IU countered by winning the next three matches beginning with junior Brian Smiley (133). Smiley made his return from last year's redshirt season with a 7-5 edging of Missouri's Jesse West. Mena said he was most impressed with Smiley's performance.\n "You could tell that kid was tired, but he didn't show it; he continued to fight," Mena said. "That is the type of competitive spirit we can't teach."\nRedshirt freshman Coyte Cooper (141) and senior Gabe Cook (149) followed with wins. Missouri's Kenny Burleson (157) brought his team within four points when he quickly pinned IU's James Wade with 1:04 remaining in the first period. In the decisive match, Stanley protected the lead and never appeared in danger on his way to a 6-2 victory.\nMissouri scored 12 points on two pins over IU's Wade brothers and three on an overtime victory by highly ranked Spates. \nSmiley said he was satisfied with the team's opening season effort.\n"Overall that was a great first match to open up with, we got some confidence going," Smiley said. "We chased them all around the mat, in those seven matches they weren't even close to us"