Sooners Blow Big Lead, Fall To Northern Iowa

The University of Oklahoma wrestling team fell to Northern Iowa, 18-15, Friday night at the West Gym in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The dual saw five Sooners nab individual victories on the night, as OU dropped to 5-4 on the year in dual competition.

OU began the night with four-straight victories from Kyle Garcia, Cody Brewer, Kendric Maple and Nick Lester. As the night went on, Oklahoma grabbed one other victory from 164-pounder, Bubby Graham.

Garcia, OU's lightweight freshman, was the first Sooner to walk off the mat with a victory after he took down UNI's Ryan Juach with a 3-2 decision. Redshirt freshman Brewer, the 10th-ranked 133-pounder in the country, followed Garcia's lead and added Oklahoma's second victory of the night when he took down No. 9 Levi Wolfensperger with a 13-9 decision.

Sooner standout Kendric Maple continued a stellar junior campaign after he topped Joey Lazor with a 6-3 decision. With the win he now holds an 8-0 record in dual competition and an unscathed 18-0 mark on the year. Following Maple's performance, No. 11 Nick Lester pushed OU's lead to 12-0 after he blanked UNI's Bart Reiter with a 5-0 decision, and pulled together the fourth-straight OU victory.

A thrilling matchup in the 157-pounders saw OU drop its first match of the night after No. 14 Matt Lester took to the mat against No. 17 David Bonin. Lester was the first wrestler on the board with an escape after a scoreless first period. The third period ended with a 3-3 stalemate, to push Lester and Bonin into the first of four overtime periods. The hard fought match came to an end after Bonin took down Lester with 12 seconds left on the clock in the fourth and final overtime period to take a 5-3 decision and cut into Oklahoma's lead, 12-3.

Despite the mid-match scuffle, No. 4 Bubby Graham tacked more points on the board for OU after he notched a 9-4 decision over Jarrett Jensen.

The match fell in the hands of veteran heavy weight Keldrick Hall after the Panthers managed to tie it up, 15-15 with three-straight victories in the 174-, 184- and 197-pound battles.

After a scoreless first period, Hall was on the board first with a successful escape at the start of the second period. The senior heavyweight was able to hold off his opponent, Blayne Beale, until the third period. Beale totaled one escape and a takedown in the final two minutes of the match to take the individual win with a 3-1 decision and claim the Panther victory.

The Sooners return home for a Sunday matinee dual against new Big 12 member West Virginia. The first bout will begin at 2 p.m. CT with five OU seniors being recognized before the start of the match in Oklahoma's final home dual of the 2012-13 season.

125: Kyle Garcia (OU) dec. Ryan Juach (UNI), 3-2 OU, 3-0

133: No. 10 Cody Brewer (OU) dec. No. 9 Levi Wolfensperger (UNI), 13-9 OU, 6-0

141: No. 1 Kendric Maple (OU) dec. Joey Lazor (UNI), 6-3 OU, 9-0

149: No. 11 Nick Lester (OU) dec. Bart Reiter (UNI), 5-0 OU, 12-0

157: No. 17 David Bonin (UNI) dec. No. 14 Matt Lester (OU), 5-3 UNI, 12-3

165: No. 4 Bubby Graham (OU) dec. Jarrett Jensin (UNI), 9-4 OU, 15-3

174: Cody Caldwell (UNI) DQ Matt Reed (OU), 6-0 UNI, 15-9

184: No. 9 Ryan Loder (UNI) dec. Nolan McBryde (OU), 9-2 UNI, 15-12

197: Blaize Cabell (UNI) dec. Brad Johnson (OU), 10-9 UNI, 15-15

HWT: Blayne Beal (UNI) dec. Kendric Maple (OU), 3-1 UNI, 18-15