(Photo: Travis David V Whittaker/WCSN)
On February 2, 2019, the Sun Devil wrestling team traveled to Stanford University for their fifth away match in a row.
Starting off for Arizona State was Josiah Kline in the 133-lbs weight class. He went up against Mason Pengilly of Stanford. Pengilly had a lead of 12-0 after the first period. Stanford started off with an early lead. Pengilly won the match with a major decision, quickly putting his team on top 4-0.
Brandon Kier kept the energy up for Stanford with his match against ASU’s Cory Crooks. In the 141 lbs. match up, both wrestlers fought back and forth while maintaining a close score. Kier won by decision over Crooks, 10-8.
The Cardinal’s lead advances to 7-0. Next up, Josh Maruca v. No. 15 Requir Van Der Merwe in the 149 lbs. bout. Van Der Merwe started the match off with a 2-point takedown putting him ahead 2-0 after the first period.
This match end with the score of 4-1. Van Der Merwe held on to his lead in the last period allowing him the decision over Maruca. At this point in the match, Stanford had a commanding lead of 10-0 in the team score.
Following 149 lbs. was Christian Pagdilao and Dominick Mandarino in 157 lbs. weight class. This high intensity match had the crowd on the edge of their seats. At the end of third period the score was tied at 9.
In overtime, Pagdilao won with a takedown putting Arizona State on the board, 10-3.
The Sun Devils began to make a comeback in the 165 lbs. and 174 lbs. matches.
Josh Shields maintained control throughout his match against Stanford’s Jared Hill. Shields won the match by major decision, 16-6.
Zahid Valencia went up against Rico Stormer in the 174 lbs. weight class. Valencia was called for two unsportsmanlike penalties but was unfazed in his performance. He completed the match with a tech fall 23-8 over Stormer.
This put the Sun Devils in the lead, 12-10.
Following Valencia was teammate Jacen Petersen. In the 184 lbs. weight class Petersen faced Austin Flores. Petersen advanced Arizona State’s lead after a close match. Petersen held onto his 3-2 lead in the third quarter. Petersen got a late takedown at the end of the third period. The final of this match was a 5-3 decision for Petersen. ASU now led 15-10.
Succeeding this match was the 197 lbs. weight class. For Stanford University, No. 9 Nathan Traxler wrestled against Arizona State’s Keavon Buckley. Traxler won this match by tech fall, 17-1. This now left the team score tied, 15-15.
The 285-lbs was a low scoring match between Arizona State’s Brady Daniel and Hayden Maley.
Brady got on the board late in the match with an escape point. After tying up the match Maley answered back with a takedown making the score 3-1. Maley came out on top with a decision over Daniel, 5-2.
The Sun Devils now trailed the Cardinal 18-15 going in to the last bout. Switching it up from heavy weight to 125-lbs, Brandon Courtney went head to head with No. 20 Gabriel Townsell.
After a scoreless first period, Courtney scored a quick escape point. Then, tied it up in the third period after Townsell received an escape point. Townsell finished the match with a takedown and back points, leaving him victorious.
This was a hard-fought match for ASU and came down to the final bout. The final team score was 21-15 in favor of the Cardinal.
The Sun Devils will get to see Stanford again at the Pac-12 championships in Tempe. The team will now travel back home after having a month-long series of away matches.
The team returns to Tempe next week against Missouri at 7:00 p.m. MST. The match will also be streamed on Pac-12 networks.
