Augsburg, Wartburg on a collision course for the Division III National Duals finals

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John Fuller (TheMat.com)
01/21/2005


Cleveland, Ohio - Top-ranked Augsburg dominated John Carroll 40-3 to move into the semifinal round of the Cliff Keen/NWCA Division III National Duals at Cleveland State Univ. on Friday evening.    Wartburg, the defending Nationals Duals champion and NCAA Division III team champions, was not far behind, destroying The College of New Jersey 40-3.    Augsburg, which boasts three top-ranked wrestlers as well as three defending NCAA Division III national champions, won nine of 10 bouts in the dual, which included pins by Marcus LeVesseur at 157 lbs. and Ryan Valek at 165 lbs.    With his second win of the day, LeVesseur now has a career record of 106-0. The 106 consecutive wins is second in college history, behind Cael Sanderson's 159 straight wins.    The Auggies will next face Delaware Valley College in tomorrow's semifinal round.    Wartburg also has three wrestlers currently ranked No. 1 in the nation and returns three NCAA Division III national champions.    That experience showed in the win over The College of New Jersey.    Wartburg won nine of 10 matches, including three by fall, one by technical fall and two by major decision.    Delaware Valley defeated Wisconsin-LaCrosse 21-18 in the quarterfinals to advance.    In the dual, it appeared Delaware Valley would dominate early, winning the first three matches, one by fall, for a 12-0 lead. However, LaCrosse battled back, winning the next four matches by decision to tie the dual at 12-12.    With a forfeit already sealed at heavyweight, LaCrosse needed just to win one of the next two matches to win the dual meet, but fifth-ranked Andrew Helms of Delaware Valley defeated Josh Zabel 5-3 at 184 lbs. and Jamall Johnson recorded a first-period pin for Delaware Valley to seal the dual victory.    The winner of the semifinal between Augsburg and Delaware Valley College will face the winner of the other semifinal between     Wartburg will face Iowa Conference rival Luther College, which dismantled Ithaca 45-3 in the quarterfinals.    Kyle Kemmerer of Ithaca began the bout with a 4-2 victory at 125 lbs., but it was all downhill from there for Ithaca, as Luther recorded five pins.    All-Americans Jeff Patzke (141 lbs.), Matt Pyle (149), Ryan LeBeau (157), Garrett South (165) and Wyatt Reyerson (184) all scored bonus points for Luther in the victory.    The semifinals of the 2005 Cliff Keen/NWCA Division III National Duals will begin at 9 a.m.