Indiana University Athletics
Thursday, March 17
New York, N.Y.
12 PM
Indiana University
vs
NCAA Championships - First Round
Wrestling Duo Survives and Advances Through First Round
3/17/2016 3:33:00 PM | Wrestling
Jackson and Oliver will battle for a quarterfinals berth after big opening round wins
NEW YORK – The Indiana wrestling pair of Elijah Oliver (125) and Nate Jackson (174) have advanced through the first round of the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Madison Square Garden. Oliver moves on after a win over Sean McCabe (Rutgers) a rematch from the Big Ten Championships consolation quarterfinals [sentence about Jackson]
"You never quite know what you're going to get in that first round," said Indiana head coach Duane Goldman. "But they both wrestled well. Elijah won more decisively over his opponent than he did in the Big Ten Tournament, and Nate had a really good match against a conference champion."
NCAA Wrestling Championships: Round 1
Bout 12
No. 16 Elijah Oliver, Indiana (32-8) dec. Sean McCabe, Rutgers (14-15), 8-2
Oliver: [1st] T2 | [2nd] E1 | [3rd] T2, N2, RT
McCabe: [1st] E1 | [2nd] E1
Oliver took the mat shortly after the opening preliminary round against a familiar opponent, Rutgers' Sean McCabe. The last time these two met in the consolation quarterfinals in Iowa City, Oliver came back to win an 8-6 decision. This time around, Oliver spared the theatrics in a wire-to-wire win by decision, 8-2.
"He succeeded because he didn't fall into a hole in the beginning," Goldman said, when asked about the improved result. "We wanted to make sure that he was aggressive, but also that he was wrestling his match and not taking unnecessary risks. He did a good job of not wrestling into predicaments, despite the early attacks by his opponent."
Oliver led 3-1 after two periods, having picked up the first takedown of the bout in the first period. McCabe escaped at the start of the third to cut Oliver's lead to one, but Oliver turned on the afterburners with a takedown and a two-point nearfall. He rode McCabe out to earn the riding time point, giving him the 8-2 win.
NCAA Wrestling Championships: Round 1
Bout 112
No. 12 Nate Jackson, Indiana (32-7) maj. dec. Michael Pavasko, Clarion (21-14), 15-3
Jackson: [1st] T2, T2, T2 | [2nd] E1, T2 | [3rd] S1, T2, RT
Pavasko: [1st] E1, E1 | [3rd] E1
Jackson opened his second career NCAA campaign in dominating fashion, with a 15-3 major decision against EWL Champion Michael Pavasko (Clarion). The Hoosier rattled off three takedowns in the first period alone to build a 6-2 lead after three minutes. In the second period, Jackson broke out, dropped Pavasko to the mat, and refused to let him up.
Jackson closed the bout out with a takedown, a stall point, and the riding time point (2:36 RT) for his first bonus point win in the NCAA Championships.
Up Next: Round 2 of the NCAA Wrestling Championships
Thursday, March 17, 2016 • 7:00 p.m. ET • ESPN 3
No. 1 Nathan Tomasello, Ohio State (23-0) vs. No. 16 Elijah Oliver, Indiana (32-8)
Oliver will take on top-seeded Tomasello in the second round of the NCAA Championship bracket. Tomasello won by tech fall, 18-0 (5:00), over Iowa State's Kyle Larson in his opening bout. The Buckeyes' defending national champion is a perfect 23-0 on the season, and his 41-bout unbeaten streak dates back to his freshman year.
Oliver and Tomasello met earlier this season in Bloomington during IU's dual against Ohio State. In that bout, Tomasello won by major decision, 17-5.
At Bout 181, they will be the first bout of the second round.
No. 5 Zach Brunson, Illinois (22-3) vs. No. 12 Nate Jackson, Indiana (32-7)
Jackson's 174 lbs. weight class went anything but chalk in the first round, as five nationally-seeded grapplers bowed out of the championship bracket: No. 2 Brian Realbuto (Cornell), No. 3 Blaise Butler (Missouri), No. 4 Ethan Ramos (UNC), No. 8 Zach Epperly (Virginia Tech), and No. 13 Alex Meyer (Iowa). As such, the winner of the bout between Jackson and Brunson could find a favorable path to the national semifinal.
"You never know what's going to happen," Goldman said. "One thing to know about this tournament is to expect the unexpected."
Neither wrestler will take the second round bout lightly. Jackson and Brunson met in the championship match of the Reno Tournament of Champions (12/20). In that bout, Brunson came away with a tight 8-4 decision that could've gone either way.
Brunson and Jackson are listed at Bout 231, and will be the third match of the 174 lbs. class.
"You never quite know what you're going to get in that first round," said Indiana head coach Duane Goldman. "But they both wrestled well. Elijah won more decisively over his opponent than he did in the Big Ten Tournament, and Nate had a really good match against a conference champion."
NCAA Wrestling Championships: Round 1
Bout 12
No. 16 Elijah Oliver, Indiana (32-8) dec. Sean McCabe, Rutgers (14-15), 8-2
Oliver: [1st] T2 | [2nd] E1 | [3rd] T2, N2, RT
McCabe: [1st] E1 | [2nd] E1
"He succeeded because he didn't fall into a hole in the beginning," Goldman said, when asked about the improved result. "We wanted to make sure that he was aggressive, but also that he was wrestling his match and not taking unnecessary risks. He did a good job of not wrestling into predicaments, despite the early attacks by his opponent."
Oliver led 3-1 after two periods, having picked up the first takedown of the bout in the first period. McCabe escaped at the start of the third to cut Oliver's lead to one, but Oliver turned on the afterburners with a takedown and a two-point nearfall. He rode McCabe out to earn the riding time point, giving him the 8-2 win.
NCAA Wrestling Championships: Round 1
Bout 112
No. 12 Nate Jackson, Indiana (32-7) maj. dec. Michael Pavasko, Clarion (21-14), 15-3
Jackson: [1st] T2, T2, T2 | [2nd] E1, T2 | [3rd] S1, T2, RT
Pavasko: [1st] E1, E1 | [3rd] E1
Jackson closed the bout out with a takedown, a stall point, and the riding time point (2:36 RT) for his first bonus point win in the NCAA Championships.
Up Next: Round 2 of the NCAA Wrestling Championships
Thursday, March 17, 2016 • 7:00 p.m. ET • ESPN 3
No. 1 Nathan Tomasello, Ohio State (23-0) vs. No. 16 Elijah Oliver, Indiana (32-8)
Oliver will take on top-seeded Tomasello in the second round of the NCAA Championship bracket. Tomasello won by tech fall, 18-0 (5:00), over Iowa State's Kyle Larson in his opening bout. The Buckeyes' defending national champion is a perfect 23-0 on the season, and his 41-bout unbeaten streak dates back to his freshman year.
Oliver and Tomasello met earlier this season in Bloomington during IU's dual against Ohio State. In that bout, Tomasello won by major decision, 17-5.
At Bout 181, they will be the first bout of the second round.
No. 5 Zach Brunson, Illinois (22-3) vs. No. 12 Nate Jackson, Indiana (32-7)
Jackson's 174 lbs. weight class went anything but chalk in the first round, as five nationally-seeded grapplers bowed out of the championship bracket: No. 2 Brian Realbuto (Cornell), No. 3 Blaise Butler (Missouri), No. 4 Ethan Ramos (UNC), No. 8 Zach Epperly (Virginia Tech), and No. 13 Alex Meyer (Iowa). As such, the winner of the bout between Jackson and Brunson could find a favorable path to the national semifinal.
"You never know what's going to happen," Goldman said. "One thing to know about this tournament is to expect the unexpected."
Neither wrestler will take the second round bout lightly. Jackson and Brunson met in the championship match of the Reno Tournament of Champions (12/20). In that bout, Brunson came away with a tight 8-4 decision that could've gone either way.
Brunson and Jackson are listed at Bout 231, and will be the third match of the 174 lbs. class.
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