Indiana University Athletics
Thursday, March 15
Cleveland, OH
7 PM
Indiana University
vs
Session II
Wrestling Pair Earn Session II Wins at NCAA Championships
3/16/2018 1:07:00 AM | Wrestling
Oliver and Weaver ready for Big Ten dual meet, postseason rematches
CLEVELAND – Indiana's wrestling team bounced back from a heartbreaking first session as two Hoosiers secured wins in the evening portion of the first day at the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Elijah Oliver won his consolation match over Missouri's Barlow McGhee, 8-1, and Cole Weaver notched a 7-6 decision against Colton Schilling (Cal Poly).
The wins were significant beyond a continuation of their postseason weekends. For Weaver, who earned his first-ever postseason qualification this year, the win is his first at an NCAA Championships. Oliver scores his first NCAA postseason win since 2016 and the second of his career.
Bout 262: Elijah Oliver (IU) vs. Barlow McGhee (MIZ)
McGhee and Oliver battled at neutral for most of the first period, until the Hoosier earned the bout's first takedown with 15 seconds left on the clock and rode out the remaining time. Oliver took the top position in the second, riding McGhee for 35 seconds before the Tiger broke free. That gave Oliver a chance to score another takedown, building his riding time past two minutes before the period came to an end.
Oliver sealed the win—the second of his career at the NCAA Championships—with an excellent effort in the final two minutes. He broke free before conceding his ride time advantage and swung around for another takedown, cementing an 8-1 victory to enter Friday's first session.
Bout No. 277: Cole Weaver (IU) vs. Colton Schilling (POLY)
Schilling fired the first shot, forcing Weaver sprawled from the Mustang's grip. Halfway through the first period, Weaver got on the board with a low shot, building a 16-second ride before Schilling escaped.
Starting from the top position with a 2-1 lead in the second, Weaver pushed his ride advantage over a minute before Schilling escaped. Weaver gained an opportunity late in the period to force back points, but Schilling dug into the mat to prevent the attack.
The third period was a thrilling performance by both grapplers. Schilling started on top and flipped Weaver for four back points to take a 5-2 lead. Weaver found his footing and flipped positions with a reversal, but Schilling's escape tied the bout at 6-6. With his riding time point locked at 2:09, Weaver warded Schilling's final shots to take a 7-6 decision and survive another day.
The other half of Indiana's travel party—redshirt junior Bryce Martin and redshirt sophomore Devin Skatzka—saw their weekends come to a bitter end in the evening session. Martin dropped his second match of the weekend against a top-10 foe by technical fall, 16-1 (4:40), to No. 8 Chandler Rogers of Oklahoma State. Skatzka was within three points entering the final period but his opponent, Ty Schoffstall (Edinboro), found an extra gear in the third period and handed the Hoosier a 13-5 defeat by major decision.
Up Next: Session III of thr 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships
Friday, March 16 • 11:00 a.m. ET • Live on ESPNU / WatchESPN • ESPN Scoreboard
Quicken Loans Arena • Cleveland, Ohio
Indiana's surviving pair will enter the Friday morning session, the third of these NCAA Championships, which is set to begin at 11:00 a.m. ET with the championship quarterfinals. Following that will be the Oliver and Weaver, who would wrestle two matches in the session if they win their first.
But those opening wins will have to come against all-to-familiar foes. Both Oliver and Weaver faced their opponents twice earlier this year, once in dual meet action and once in the Big Ten Wrestling Championships.
Oliver seeks his first win of the year against No. 10 Sebastian Rivera (Northwestern) after dropping both meetings. Weaver and Eli Stickley (Wisconsin) enter a series rubber match; the Hoosier won their dual meet by fall, while the Badger took the postseason encounter with a comeback win by decision.
The winner between Oliver and Rivera advances to face the winner between No. 15 Ryan Millhof (Arizona State). And whichever wrestler emerges victorious between Weaver and Stickley would get the winner of No. 8 Nick Lee (Penn State) and No. 10 Mason Smith (Central Michigan). Weaver met both of those wrestlers in a tournament setting earlier this year.
Bout 382 | 125 Cons. Rd. 2: Elijah Oliver vs. No. 10 Sebastian Rivera (Northwestern)
Bout 397 | 141 Cons. Rd. 2: No. 16 Cole Weaver vs. Eli Stickley (Wisconsin)
The wins were significant beyond a continuation of their postseason weekends. For Weaver, who earned his first-ever postseason qualification this year, the win is his first at an NCAA Championships. Oliver scores his first NCAA postseason win since 2016 and the second of his career.
Bout 262: Elijah Oliver (IU) vs. Barlow McGhee (MIZ)
McGhee and Oliver battled at neutral for most of the first period, until the Hoosier earned the bout's first takedown with 15 seconds left on the clock and rode out the remaining time. Oliver took the top position in the second, riding McGhee for 35 seconds before the Tiger broke free. That gave Oliver a chance to score another takedown, building his riding time past two minutes before the period came to an end.
Oliver sealed the win—the second of his career at the NCAA Championships—with an excellent effort in the final two minutes. He broke free before conceding his ride time advantage and swung around for another takedown, cementing an 8-1 victory to enter Friday's first session.
Bout No. 277: Cole Weaver (IU) vs. Colton Schilling (POLY)
Schilling fired the first shot, forcing Weaver sprawled from the Mustang's grip. Halfway through the first period, Weaver got on the board with a low shot, building a 16-second ride before Schilling escaped.
Starting from the top position with a 2-1 lead in the second, Weaver pushed his ride advantage over a minute before Schilling escaped. Weaver gained an opportunity late in the period to force back points, but Schilling dug into the mat to prevent the attack.
The third period was a thrilling performance by both grapplers. Schilling started on top and flipped Weaver for four back points to take a 5-2 lead. Weaver found his footing and flipped positions with a reversal, but Schilling's escape tied the bout at 6-6. With his riding time point locked at 2:09, Weaver warded Schilling's final shots to take a 7-6 decision and survive another day.
The other half of Indiana's travel party—redshirt junior Bryce Martin and redshirt sophomore Devin Skatzka—saw their weekends come to a bitter end in the evening session. Martin dropped his second match of the weekend against a top-10 foe by technical fall, 16-1 (4:40), to No. 8 Chandler Rogers of Oklahoma State. Skatzka was within three points entering the final period but his opponent, Ty Schoffstall (Edinboro), found an extra gear in the third period and handed the Hoosier a 13-5 defeat by major decision.
Up Next: Session III of thr 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships
Friday, March 16 • 11:00 a.m. ET • Live on ESPNU / WatchESPN • ESPN Scoreboard
Quicken Loans Arena • Cleveland, Ohio
Indiana's surviving pair will enter the Friday morning session, the third of these NCAA Championships, which is set to begin at 11:00 a.m. ET with the championship quarterfinals. Following that will be the Oliver and Weaver, who would wrestle two matches in the session if they win their first.
But those opening wins will have to come against all-to-familiar foes. Both Oliver and Weaver faced their opponents twice earlier this year, once in dual meet action and once in the Big Ten Wrestling Championships.
Oliver seeks his first win of the year against No. 10 Sebastian Rivera (Northwestern) after dropping both meetings. Weaver and Eli Stickley (Wisconsin) enter a series rubber match; the Hoosier won their dual meet by fall, while the Badger took the postseason encounter with a comeback win by decision.
The winner between Oliver and Rivera advances to face the winner between No. 15 Ryan Millhof (Arizona State). And whichever wrestler emerges victorious between Weaver and Stickley would get the winner of No. 8 Nick Lee (Penn State) and No. 10 Mason Smith (Central Michigan). Weaver met both of those wrestlers in a tournament setting earlier this year.
Bout 382 | 125 Cons. Rd. 2: Elijah Oliver vs. No. 10 Sebastian Rivera (Northwestern)
Bout 397 | 141 Cons. Rd. 2: No. 16 Cole Weaver vs. Eli Stickley (Wisconsin)
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