Friday night update - Three U.S. wrestlers advance to quarterfinals

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Heather Van Peursem (USA Wrestling)
11/23/2001


(note: Due to server problems, this story was not posted untile Saturday a.m.)    SOFIA, BULGARIA - Three U.S. wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinal round by winning their pool matches Friday. Bill Zadick at 63kg, Joe Williams at 76kg and Tocarra Montgomery 68kg, all secured quarterfinal positions, which will be wrestled Saturday morning.    Zadick secured his quarterfinal position with a 5-3 decision over Armenian challenger Arshak Hayrapetyan in his third pool match. After trailing 2-1 in the second period, Zadick bounced back with two takedowns and exposure to claim the lead and the win. Zadick will face 2000 Sydney Olympic champion and World Champion Alireza Dabir of Iran.    Williams won a cautiously wrestled pool match 3-0 over Italian Rinella Salvatore, scoring two takedowns in the first period and a third takedown early in the second period. After conquering both opponents in his pool, Williams then wrestled an 1/8th final match to determine who would advance to the quarterfinal round. Williams won a 3-1 decision over Pred Eugen of Romania to advance to the quarterfinal round where he will see challenger Hajizadeh Joy Mehdi of Iran, a 2001 Asian Championships gold medalist.    Montgomery finished pool competition by pinning all three opponents in her four-person pool. In her final pool match Montgomery cradled Heidi Martti of Finland for the fall in 1:21. She is set to face Sveta Yaroshevitch of Russia.    The remaining U.S wrestlers did not advance out of their pools and are done with their World Championships competition.    The second group of wrestlers started their began competition Friday morning, winning three of six matches.     After jumping out to a quick 3-0 lead, Eric Guerrero (58kg) was defeated in his first pool match on a 8-3 decision by Canadian Sissaouri Guivi. Guerrero had a bye in the second round, and will face Aly Abou Talep of Egypt in the third pool round Saturday morning.    Chris Bono (69kg) battled back from a 4-2 deficit going into the second period to tie the match and send it into overtime, but lost the overtime battle to Ahmet Gulhan of Turkey, who scored a takedown in OT at the edge of the mat. Bono also sat the second round out with a bye, but is set to challenge Carlos Dominguez (ESP) in the third pool round.    Brandon Eggum, who stepped into replace World Team qualifier Garrett Lowney, opened his International career with a 3-2 decision over Lazaros Loizidis of Greece. Before the buzzer Eggum scored a solid takedown taking a 2-1 deficit into the second period. Eggum scored two more takedowns in the second period to secure the match. Eggum, the only U.S. male wrestler that did not have a second round bye, faced Sondhi Amandeep of India Friday evening. Eggum easily secured a 11-0 technical fall to win his pool.    World Team veteran Kerry McCoy (130kg) easily handled Hungarian Otto Aubeli, completed a technical fall shortly into the second period. McCoy sat out the second round with a bye, and will face Mongolian Golegiamts Usukhbayar in the third pool round.     In the womeníss division, Stephanie Murata (51kg) sat out with a first round bye, but faced Kyla Brenner (AUS) in second round competition. Murata came out strong with a quicky 1:25 fall over Brenner, and is set to face 2001 European champion S. Poubouridou of Greece in the third pool round tomorrow.    At 62kg. Sara McMann battled a 3-0 deficit going into the second period, scoring two takedowns and dropping a 5-2 decision to Iwana Rena of Japan. McMann fought a tough second round battle with Lili Meng of China, losing a 6-2 decision to end her World Championships compeition.    Jenna Pavlik (75kg) jumped out to a strong start with a quick pin in :34 seconds over first round challenger Fatima de Camargo of Brazille, but dropped a decision to Edyta Witowska of Poland. Pavlik will see Damos Yasmili of Venezuela in third compeition.    The third day of competition is set to begin Saturday morning with third round pool matches for the second wave of wrestlers, followed by the quarter, semifinal, and finals of the first group.