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Wrestling
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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Thursday, January 20
Norman
7:00 PM
University of Oklahoma
14
vs
23
Missouri
Sooners Lose Close Match with No. 9 Missouri
January 20, 2022 | Wrestling
NORMAN – Fans in attendance were treated to a thriller in Oklahoma wrestling's season debut in McCasland Field House, but the Sooners ultimately come up short against No. 9 Missouri by a final score of 23-14.
The Sooners (5-3, 2-2 Big 12) and the Tigers (7-2, 5-0 Big 12) traded blows from the beginning and the match sat tied 14-14 after seven bouts. Wins from Tony Madrigal, Justin Thomas and Anthony Mantanona paired with an upset victory for Willie McDougald meant it was anybody's contest with three matchups still to go, but the breakthrough never came and the Sooners took their third loss of the season. All three have come against top-10 opponents.
"There were some close matches," said head coach Lou Rosselli. "I thought the effort was really good for most of them. There was a lot of good things we just have to keep expanding on it. There were points all over the board tonight we just have to close the close ones out. You have to win the mind game. Your will to win has to be greater than how tired you are."
The highlight of the night came from redshirt freshman Willie McDougald (6-3) wrestling at 149 pounds as a late substitute for the unavailable Dom Demas. Making his collegiate dual debut for the Sooners, the Niagara Falls, N.Y., native out dueled No. 21 Josh Edmond in a match that went into extra periods thanks to two stalling points in McDougald's favor late in the third. He would make the most of the extra time and take a 5-4 decision win thanks to the riding time advantage he amassed in the tiebreaker rounds.
"I thought Willie did a really good job," said Rosselli. "Yesterday he didn't know he was wrestling. To get thrown in there like that, have to step in and wrestle a ranked guy, and then still do what he was able to do is impressive. I thought he did a really nice job. Willie works really hard and he cares a lot. When you match those things together you get someone who is going to give everything they can give. He knows you don't get too many chances like that. You may only get one and he passed his first test."
No. 14 Tony Madrigal (7-3) put the first points on the board for the Sooners with his first tech fall of the season and the seventh of his career. He built a 10-0 lead in the first period thanks to two four-point near falls and used another one to put the match to bed in the second with a 16-0 (4:39) score.
At 157, No. 16 Justin Thomas (12-4) continued his current hot streak with his fifth win in a row coming in a rematch with the Tigers' No. 24 Jarrett Jacques. The Missouri wrestler beat Thomas last season in the NCAA tournament in a tight 3-1 decision, but it was the sixth-year senior from Huntington Beach, Calif., that came away with the win this time around. This bout also needed extra time to be decided and Thomas used a quick escape in the tiebreaker rounds to earn a 2-1 decision.
Riding a hot streak of his own, No. 32 Anthony Mantanona (10-4) won his fourth straight contest to stay undefeated in 2022. The redshirt senior held off a third period push from Missouri's Sean Harman to take the 6-5 decision win and tie match between these two Big 12 foes.
With the opportunity to take the lead for OU looming, No. 26 Darrien Roberts (11-6) nearly pulled off a pin when he had his opponent in a cradle in the first period, but couldn't finish off the move and eventually lost in a 6-4 decision.
The highest ranked matchup of the night saw No. 12 Jake Woodley (14-5) take on No. 5 Rocky Elam. Woodley was the more aggressive of the two in the final period, but Elam wound up with a 4-1 decision win in the end. It was the third time the two had squared off in their careers.
At heavyweight, No. 29 Josh Heindselman (8-7) took the mat with the older Elam brother in No. 15 Zach Elam. A late surge from Heindselman came up just short as he ran out of time to tie things up in the third period and a late replay review of a possible takedown did not rule in his favor.
"We're very close," said Rosselli. "We took a couple hits that we probably shouldn't have. I think overall if we can keep getting a little bit better and fix a few of the details we'll have a chance. Each guy will have the chance to be as successful as they want to be. As you get closer to the postseason, your mind is more important. Knowing that you're going to win and believing in what you're doing matters. It's really simple. Keep believing. It can happen. If you want to get on the stand you can get on the stand. Just keep doing the work. Most people win because they work."
The Sooners will only have a few days to rest before they are back on the road to face Northern Illinois in DeKalb, Ill. The match is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 23 at 12:00 p.m. CT.
For updates, follow @OU_Wrestling on Twitter and Instagram, or like Oklahoma Wrestling on Facebook.
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