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Escobedo edges Nickerson in featured match of Session 5: No. 1 Iowa adds to winning team total
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By Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
03/20/2010

OMAHA, Neb. â€" The match many expected to be for the championship instead was contested for a bronze medal on Saturday morning.

2008 NCAA champion Angel Escobedo of Indiana downed 2009 NCAA champion Troy Nickerson of Cornell 2-0 in one of the featured bouts of the medal rounds on Saturday at the Qwest Center.

Escobedo won the battle of four-time All-Americans at 125 pounds as both wrestlers were applauded for their great careers as they walked off the mat.

"There was a lot of respect and a lot of pride in that match," Escobedo said. "I had a similar injury that Nickerson had last year. I know what it feels like to not be able to give 100 percent out there. I’m glad he got back in there for the third and fourth place match. It shows how big of a heart he has, and how much he loves the sport."

Escobedo was upset by freshman Andrew Long of Iowa State in the semifinals, but battled back to win two matches Saturday to take third.

He received a big ovation from the fans as he walked off the mat.

“It was great to be able to come back and finish with a win," he said. "It showed how much heart I have in the sport. (Losing in the semifinals) was just a minor setback. I still have a lot more years and training, and a lot more to achieve. Now I have to got to put it together and win my Olympic and World titles.â€

A sellout crowd of 15,613 fans were in attendance for Session 5.

The finals of the NCAA Championships are set for Saturday night at 6:30 in Omaha. They will be televised on ESPN.

Iowa clinched its third straight title and 23rd overall after going 5-for-5 in the semifinals on Friday night.

Entering the finals, Iowa leads with 122.5 points. Five Hawkeyes will wrestle for gold medals on Saturday night.

Iowa’s Ryan Morningstar turned in a gutsy performance by finishing seventh at 165. Morningstar suffered torn ligaments in his knee just 13 days ago at the Big Ten tournament. He wrestled with a large brace on his leg during this tournament.

Morningstar broke free for a late escape to beat Old Dominion’s Chris Brown 3-2 to take seventh.

Cornell has clinched second with 86 points and two in the finals. Oklahoma is third with 69 points and no finalists. Iowa State is fourth with 67 points and three in the finals.

2009 NCAA champion Franklin Gomez of Michigan State finished a strong career by taking third at 133. Gomez downed Oklahoma State freshman Jordan Oliver in the bronze-medal bout.

Gomez placed third, first and third the past three years at this event.

FINALS MATCHUPS

125 Pounds
Andrew Long (Iowa State) vs. Matt McDonough (Iowa)

133 Pounds
Jayson Ness (Minnesota) vs. Daniel Dennis (Iowa)

141 Pounds
Kyle Dake (Cornell) vs. Montell Marion (Iowa)

149 Pounds
Lance Palmer (Ohio State) vs. Brent Metcalf (Iowa)

157 Pounds
J.P. O’Connor (Harvard) vs. Chase Pami (Cal Poly)

165 Pounds
Andrew Howe (Wisconsin) vs. Dan Vallimont (Penn State)

174 Pounds
Mack Lewnes (Cornell) vs. Jay Borschel (Iowa)

184 Pounds
Kirk Smith (Boise State) vs. Max Askren (Missouri)

197 Pounds
Jake Varner (Iowa State) vs. Craig Brester (Nebraska)

285 Pounds
David Zabriskie (Iowa State) vs. Jared Rosholt (Oklahoma State)
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