From the Reporter of Vacaville, CA
UC Davis matmen lock up with No. 9 Iowa
By Reporter Sports Staff
DAVIS – The UC Davis wrestling team gave No. 9 Iowa all it could handle during the Hawkeyes’ West Coast swing.
The Aggies won three of their final four matches against Iowa on Sunday night – including a 6-5 win by Brandon Bear against second-ranked Paul Bradley at 184 pounds. At the end of the night, the Hawkeyes prevailed by winning the first seven matches on the way to a 26-9 non-conference win before a record 5,150 fans at The Pavilion.
UC Davis dropped to 3-2 with the defeat while Iowa improved to 5-1.
The Hawkeyes are 5-1 after also downing Fresno State 30-7 earlier in the day in Fresno.
Iowa is coached by Jim Zalesky, brother of Aggie coach Lennie Zalesky. The Hawkeyes feature six nationally-ranked wrestlers in their lineup.
Davis trailed Iowa 22-0 before picking up exciting wins by Ronnie Silva at 174, Bear at 184 and Reed Shelger at 197 which closed the gap to 22-9.
Bear had the biggest win of the three, scoring a takedown with 12 seconds left to upend Bradley, 6-5. Bradley entered the match the consensus No.2-ranked wrestler at 184 and lost for just the second time this season.
Bear trailed Bradley 4-2 after Bradley earned a pair of takedowns in the first period. The wrestlers exchanged escapes as Bradley took a 5-3 lead early in the third. However, Bear picked up a point when Bradley was penalized for stalling, then scored the stirring win when he grabbed a takedown with just 12 seconds remaining.
“That’s the biggest upset we’ve had at UC Davis, “Lennie Zalesky said. “To win like that was huge.”
Silva got the Aggies on the scoreboard after Iowa rolled to wins in the first six matches. Silva trailed 4-2 midway through the second period of his 174-pound match but tied it with a takedown at the end of the period. An escape to start the third, a takedown with 27 seconds left and a three-point near fall as the clock expired catapulted Silva to the win.
Shelger concluded UC Davis’ three straight wins with a 3-2 victory over Adam Fellers at 197, taking advantage of an escape and a takedown in the second period to score his three points.
After Iowa won the first six bouts, Lennie Zalesky was happy to see his team rebound.
“Three wins against Iowa, that’s good, “Zalesky said.
The 5,150 fans are the most to ever see a UC Davis home wrestling match.
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