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Wrestling

`Runners Fall To No. 9 Arizona St.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif – CSU Bakersfield's wrestling team hosted No. 9 Arizona State in a competitive Pac 12 dual battle. Roadrunners were able to catch the Sun Devils lead by three but the final two matches would have the ASU taking the final lead, 24-14.
 
"I think we wrestle well tonight, I really feel like we could have won a couple more, said Manny Rivera, Head Coach of the `Runners. "In some of those matches that we lost I believe we had a lot of fight and that's what I expected from them. Our guys fight with a chip on their shoulder and the better the team is the more they want to battle. We will see them again in the Pac 12 tournament, even though they are a big team they are beatable. If we keep wrestling tough and at our best from now to then, I truly believe the `Runners can win."
 
The dual started at 165, with CSUB Jacob Thalin and No. 15 ASU Anthony Valencia. Valencia got a quick start with two takedowns in the first period leading 4-2. Starting at the bottom in the second, Thalin adds an escape but ASU would get their first four points in a major decision win 12-4.
 
At 174, Redshirt junior Bryan Battisto went toe to toe against No. 1 Zahid Valencia (ASU) and lost by a large margin but managed to get a takedown in a tech fall, 15-8.
 
Dominic Ducharme had another close match in the season with opponent No. 33 Kordell Norfleet (ASU). The two tied the match three times before Ducharme got a quick lead with an escape but Norfleet would win the match in a takedown in the final 30 seconds of the match. ASU takes the 184 bout in a 9-7 decision.
 
Redshirt senior Matt Williams stays dominate in duals as he wins over Cade Belshay in a 13-4 major decision and puts CSUB on the board with four points.
 
In the heavyweight bout, Dominic Balmer filled in for Mark Penyascek and took a 23-8 loss (tech fall at 6:26).
 
No. 27 Sergio Mendez (125) gets an early takedown but Josh Kramer (ASU) gets a late reversal and a 2 point nearfall to end the first 2-4. Kramer ends the second with another reversal and takedown to take the 8-5 lead in the second but Mendez adds two takedowns and a four point nearfall to end the match in a 14-10 decision victory.
 
At 133, in a rematch from the Cliff Keen Tournament, Sean Nickell and Ali Naser started slow and Nickell would take the lead at the end of the first period, 2-0. No score through the second and Nickell would take revenge over Naser in a 3-0 decsion.
 
Russell Rohlfing (141) and Nikko Vilarreal go head to head and finish the first period scoreless.
At the beginning of the second, Rohlfing starts on bottom to add an escape and nearfall at the tail end of the second to go 5-0. Bakersfield's 141-pounder would win the match in a 8-0 major decision bringing the `Runners only down by 3, 14-17.
 
In the 149 bout sophomore Kalani Tonge and No.10 Jason Tsirtsis (ASU) went scoreless through the first. Tsirtsis added an escape and takedown to end the second 3-0 and ultimately end the match with a 6-1 decision over Tonge.
 
In the final match of the night, Coleman Hammond (157) ends the first period down, 5-3 against #6 Josh Shields (ASU). Hammond fought hard against the No. 6 wrestler in the nation but came up short 11-5.
 
CSUB (4-9, 0-2 Pac-12) will host another PAC 12 dual versus Cal Poly, on Jan. 31 in the Icardo Center.
 

Results:
 
165: Anthony Valencia (ASU) def. Jacob Thalin (CSUB) by major decision, 12-4.
174: Zahid Valencia (ASU) def. Bryan Battisto (CSUB) by tech fall, 25-9.
184: Kordell Norfleet (ASU) def. Dominic Ducharme (CSUB) by decision, 9-7.
197: #14 Matt Williams (CSUB) def. Cade Belshay (ASU) by major decision, 13-4.
285: Tanner Hall (ASU) def. Dominic Balmer (CSUB) by tech fall, 23-8.
125: #27 Sergio Mendez (CSUB) def. Josh Kramer (ASU) by decision, 14-10.
133: #28 Sean Nickell (CSUB) def. Ali Naser (ASU) by decision, 3-0
141: #25 Russell Rohlfing (CSUB) def. Nikko Villarreal (ASU) by major decision, 8-0.
149: Joshua Maruca (ASU) def. Kalani Tonge (CSUB) by decision 6-1.
157: Joshua Shields (ASU) def. #16 Coleman Hammond (CSUB) by major decision, 16-8.
 

~GoRunners~
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Players Mentioned

Dominic Balmer

Dominic Balmer

285
6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Bryan Battisto

Bryan Battisto

174/184
5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
Dominic Ducharme

Dominic Ducharme

184
6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
Coleman Hammond

Coleman Hammond

149
5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
Sergio Mendez

Sergio Mendez

125
5' 5"
Redshirt Senior
Sean Nickell

Sean Nickell

133
5' 7"
Redshirt Junior
Russell Rohlfing

Russell Rohlfing

141
5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
Jacob Thalin

Jacob Thalin

157
6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
Kalani Tonge

Kalani Tonge

141/149
5' 5"
Sophomore
Matt Williams

Matt Williams

197
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

Dominic Balmer

Dominic Balmer

6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
285
Bryan Battisto

Bryan Battisto

5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
174/184
Dominic Ducharme

Dominic Ducharme

6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
184
Coleman Hammond

Coleman Hammond

5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
149
Sergio Mendez

Sergio Mendez

5' 5"
Redshirt Senior
125
Sean Nickell

Sean Nickell

5' 7"
Redshirt Junior
133
Russell Rohlfing

Russell Rohlfing

5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
141
Jacob Thalin

Jacob Thalin

6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
157
Kalani Tonge

Kalani Tonge

5' 5"
Sophomore
141/149
Matt Williams

Matt Williams

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
197
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