Late Run Lifts No. 3 Oklahoma State Over No. 22 WVU Wrestling

No. 3 ranked Oklahoma State claimed the final four matches of Sunday’s Big 12 matchup with No. 22 WVU to claim a 30-12 victory inside Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Following Peyton Hall’s 5-1 victory over No. 6 Cameron Amine in the 165-pound bout that gave the Mountaineers a 12-11 lead, the Cowboys recorded technical fall wins at 174 and 184, a decision victory at 197 and capped the meet off with a pinfall in the heavyweight match to secure the win.

West Virginia (8-4, 2-3) extended its winless mark against Oklahoma State in a series that dates back to 1927. The Mountaineers also suffered their first loss of the season away from the WVU Coliseum (7-1).

Hall, ranked No. 3 at 165, improved to 22-0 with his fifth ranked win of the season. His victory was one of just three wins West Virginia posted during the match, with Jett Strickenberger scoring a pinfall victory at 125 and Sam Hillegas earning a decision win at 149.

Strickenberger’s victory over No. 4 ranked Troy Spratley was his fourth straight win over a ranked opponent, including two ranked in the Top 10 of the weight class. His recent performances jumped Strickenberger from unranked to filling the No. 13 spot in just over two weeks.

Oklahoma State picked up back-to-back wins at 133 and 141 to regain a 7-6 lead. Tommy Maddox dropped a 9-6 decision to Cael Hughes in overtime before No. 32 ranked Jordan Titus was defeated by No. 4 Taegen Jamison via a 13-4 major decision.

Hillegas’ 8-6 victory over Cutter Sheets at 149 briefly put the Mountaineers back in front, as Oklahoma State’s No. 14 ranked Caleb Fish took down Sasha Gavronsky with a 17-3 major decision at 157 to put the Cowboys ahead 11-9.

Hall then gave West Virginia its final lead of the match prior to the Cowboys’ run to close the meet.

WVU will be back in action next Sunday, Jan. 26, when the Mountaineers travel to Missouri.