By: Ryley Collom, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications & Digital Media
RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University wrestling team took four match wins over the Northern Colorado Bears in a 12-20 loss on Saturday afternoon in Riverside.
CBU would take victories in the 125, 149, 165, and 184lb weight classes via decision but fell short in the team score. The Bears featured three ranked wrestlers, including two ranked inside the top five in their respective weight classes. The dual was the third in program history between the Bears and the Lancers and the first one to take place in Riverside.
Elijah Griffin started the dual off for CBU at 125lbs and would match up for the second straight season against Stevo Poulin. Poulin, the reigning BIG 12 Champion at 125lbs, came in as the third-ranked wrestler in the country according to FloWrestling. Poulin defeated Griffin last season in Greeley by decision. However, it was Griffin who would win this time around.
Griffin registered a pair of takedowns early in the match before sustaining a leg injury that would hobble him for the remaining two periods. Despite the injury, Griffin demonstrated tremendous resolve and would hold off multiple attacks by Pulin to secure the 7-4 win. The win is the third-ranked victory for Griffin this season and the first in a dual meet, giving CBU the early 3-0 advantage.
The Bears would win the next two matches by decision and major decision, leading 7-3 in the 149lb bout. Dayne Morton would put CBU back in the win column, with an 8-3 decision win over Benji Alanis of Northern Colorado. Dayne picked up two takedowns in the match and claimed his second dual win of the year.
After a decision win in the 157lb weight class, Carter Schubert would respond right back with a 6-4 decision win of his own to keep the dual within one point. Schubert is the only CBU wrestler who is undefeated in duals after claiming his second. The Bears and Lancers would again trade decision victories, with the Bears taking the 174 bout and Nathan Haas bringing home the 184 bout for CBU.
The two critical matches of the dual went the Bear's way as Xavier Vasquez and Vavier Doolin provided Northern Colorado with the deciding seven points to claim the dual 20-12 for the Bears.
CBU 12 Northern Colorado 20
Location: Riverside, CA- Van Dyne Gym
125: Elijah Griffin (CBU) over Stevo Poulin (NCOLO) by decision 7-4
133: Dominick Serrano (NCOLO) over Hunter Leake (CBU) by major decision 16-6
141: Armando Garcia (NCOLO) over Darren Green (CBU) by decision 10-3
149: Dayne Morton (CBU) over Benji Alanis (NCOLO) by decision 8-3
157: Vinny Zerban (NCOLO) over Chaz Hallmark (CBU) by decision 9-4
165: Carter Schubert (CBU) over Derek Matthews (NCOLO) by decision 6-4
174: Travis Mastrogiovanni (NCOLO) over Justin Phillips (CBU) by decision 13-6
184: Nathan Haas (CBU) over Branson Britten (NCOLO) by decision 9-4
197: Xavier Vasquez (NCOLO) over Eli Sheeren (CBU) by decision 4-2
285: Xavier Doolin (NCOLO) over Chris Island (CBU) by major decision 9-1
NEXT: The Lancers will head to North Dakota State to take on the Bisons on Saturday, January 20, at 5 PM PT.
