Gross' Rally Awakens Flashes

KSU's 26-9 win vs. Bison sends Flashes into 3 pm tilt with Illini

HAMPTON ROADS, VA. Kent State went from a potential 12-7 deficit at the halfway point to a 10-9 lead thanks to its only senior.

After back-to-back bitter one point losses by Clint Sponseller and Sli Bostelman, Kent State was in severe danger of putting itself in a very uncomfortable situation. Trailing the Bucknell Bison 9-7, senior Kurt Gross found himself down at one point 4-2, then 6-4 before staging a major third-period rally. Thanks to takedowns and a huge near-fall scenario, Gross held off Andy Rendos, 11-8 in the 165-pound match during first-round action at the 2008 Virginia Duals.

From there, KSU was never threatened. Wins by Chris Estep and Michael Blackwell sandwiched a nifty stack move by Eric Chine who scored a fall in only 43 seconds of the first frame. Jermail Porter closed out the scoring with an 11-7 win at 285 pounds.

Early on, it appeared to be more of the same for the Flashes. Nic Bedelyon cruised to a 12-0 major decision over Greg Hart at 125. However, Dan Mitcheff suffered his first dual meet loss of the campaign when he was rolled by Bucknell's best wrestler, David Marble for a 10-7 loss.

Ahead 4-3, Drew Lashaway gave the good guys some breathing room with an 8-5 win at 141 pounds over Luke Chohany. That's when Sponseller dropped a tough 3-2 decision to Kevin LeValley and Bostelman followed that up with an equally frustrating 2-1 setback to Brantley Hooks.

With the 26-9 win, seventh-seeded Kent State now takes on number two Illinois at 3 p.m. at the Hampton Coliseum. KSU has lost two dual meets to Big Ten teams this season; 26-14 to #7 Michigan in Ann Arbor on Dec. 7 and then 27-6 to #12 Ohio State in Kent last weekend.

Kent State 26 Bucknell 9 F

125: Nic Bedelyon (KST) major dec. Greg Hart (BUC) 12-0

133: David Marble (BUC) dec. Dan Mitcheff (KST) 10-7

141: Drew Lashaway (KST) dec. Luke Chohany (BUC) 8-5

149: Kevin LeValley (BUC) dec. Clint Sponseller (KST) 3-2

157: Brantley Hooks (BUC) dec. Sli Bostelman (KST) 2-1

165: Kurt Gross (KST) dec. Andy Rendos (BUC) 11-8

174: Chris Estep (KST) dec. Rob Waltko (BUC) 3-1

184: Eric Chine (KST) pinned David Thompson (BUC) 0:43

197: Michael Blackwell (KST) major dec. Charlie Wonsettler (BUC) 14-5

285: Jermail Porter (KST) dec. George Hingson (BUC) 11-7

Gross' Rally Awakens Flashes

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