WVU’s Killian Cardinale Falls in Quarterfinals at NCAA Wrestling Championships

TULSA, Okla. —  No. 28 West Virginia fifth year senior Killian Cardinale lost a tough match in the Quarterfinals at the NCAA Wrestling Championships at the BOK Center Friday morning.

Cardinale (12-2) battled back and forth with No. 4 Purdue’s Matt Ramos throughout their match at 125 pounds. Cardinale battled back from 6-3 down to take a 7-6 lead late in the third period. Ramos caught Cardinale off guard and made a takedown with five seconds remaining to win the match in an 8-7 decision.

WHAT. A FINISH!!@Matt_Ramos2 is an All-American!

📺 ESPNU#NCAAWrestling x @PurdueWrestling pic.twitter.com/1K7GK6UFep

— NCAA Wrestling (@NCAAWrestling) March 17, 2023

Cardinale will wrestle No. 15 Cornell’s Brett Ungar (17-11) Friday night at 7 p.m. EST.

The rest of Friday morning saw losses from the Mountaineers in the Consolations.

No. 29 redshirt first-year Jordan Titus (22-14) lost a 10-5 decision to No. 14 Northern Iowa’s Cael Happel (18-8) at 141 pounds. Titus never established control in the match and Happel easily dealt with him throughout.

No. 14 junior Peyton Hall (24-6) lost a 9-7 decision in sudden victory to rival No. 20 Pitt redshirt senior Holden Heller (16-8) at 165 pounds. Heller made a takedown in overtime to ensure victory and get revenge on Hall, who pinned Heller in their first matchup on Jan. 8.

That match had some of the best scrambling you'll see at NCAAs!

Pitt's @HoldenHeller prevails in SV ✌️

Watch on @ESPNU 📺#H2P » @NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/yaZPOoezZH

— Pitt Wrestling (@Pitt_WRES) March 17, 2023

No. 25 redshirt junior Michael Wolfgram (21-14) kept it close with No. 7 NC State’s Owen Trephan (23-5) in the heavyweight class. Wolfgram almost got a takedown late, but Trephan spun it on him and made a takedown very late to win a 3-1 decision.

Titus, Hall and Wolfgram are done at the NCAA Championships after losing in the Consolation Rounds. Hall, who finished in seventh place last year, will be disappointed losing both of his matches this weekend.

West Virginia is in 40th place at the NCAA Championships with 4.5 points, tied with Drexel.

WVU will wrestle again Friday night at 7 p.m. EST in the Round of 32 and Consolations. Stay tuned for coverage from West Virginia Sports Now of WVU wrestling for the NCAA Championships these final two days.