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    Ohio State improves to 3-0 after win vs. Pitt

    COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A fast start that included two pins and a pair of major decisions in the first four matches helped lift the fifth-ranked Ohio State wrestling team to a 26-13 win over No. 18 Pittsburgh Sunday afternoon in St. John Arena. The Buckeyes improve to 3-0 on the season, while the Panthers drop to 0-2.

    In all, Ohio State won six of 10 matches and had a 23-0 lead at the halfway mark. Back-to-back pins by senior Nikko Triggas and redshirt sophomore Logan Stieber at 125 and 133 pounds, respectively, immediately gave the Buckeyes a 12-0 advantage. Facing Godwin Nyama, Triggas, scored a takedown before pinning Nyama in 2:32. Stieber followed suit, pinning No. 7 Shelton Mack in 4:26. Stieber was up 8-0 before tallying six team points for the Scarlet and Gray.

    Leading, 2-1, and, 5-1, after the first and second periods, sophomore Hunter Stieber added four points to the Buckeye score on a 10-2 major decision over Travis Shaffer in the 141-pound matchup. Sophomore 149-pounder Cam Tessari rebounded from his opening dual-season loss at Virginia Tech with an 11-3 major decision victory vs. Donnie Tasser. Holding on to a 4-1 lead after the first period, Tessari quickly got to work and increased his advantage to 8-2 after the second period.

    One of the more exciting matches of the afternoon, it was a last second takedown by Josh Demas in the 157-pound bout that propelled the Buckeye redshirt sophomore to a 3-1 win against Troy Reaghard. Following a scoreless tie after the first period, an escape by Reaghard was the only scoring in the second. Demas answered Reaghard's escape with one of his own and as the more than 1,000 fans in St. John Arena were about to settle in for some overtime wrestling, Demas notched the takedown en route to his eighth win of the season.

    Ohio State's Nick Heflin was the remaining Buckeye to put points on the board for the Scarlet and Gray. Wrestling at 174 pounds, the Buckeye redshirt-junior's riding time of 1:07 was the difference maker in a 3-3 score at the end of regulation.

    Freshman Mark Martin held his own vs. No. 16 Tyler Wilps at 165 pounds. With both wrestlers scoreless after the first period, Martin trailed Wilps 2-1 at the conclusion of the second. An escape and takedown by Wilps, however, sealed the first victory of the afternoon for Pittsburgh.

    The Scarlet and Gray dropped their last three matches from 184 pounds-heavyweight. Once again, riding time was the deciding factor in the 184-pound match. Tied, 2-2, against No. 14 Max Thomusseit, redshirt freshman Kenny Courts, could not overcome Thomusseit's 1:18 of riding time. Senior C.J. Magrum dropped a 13-3 major decision to No. 2 Matthew Wilps and Peter Capone lost, 5-1, to No. 8 Zac Thomusseit.

    Up next, Ohio State will travel to Las Vegas, Nev., for the CKLV Invitational Nov. 30-Dec. 1. The Buckeyes' next home match is at 7 p.m. Dec. 14 vs. Kent State in St. John Arena.

    Postmatch Notes
    • Redshirt sophomore Logan Stieber was honored during a pre-match recognition. A banner was dropped from the St. John Arena rafters recognizing his 2012 Big Ten and NCAA Championships.
    • Senior Nikko Triggas continues to add to his falls record total. Triggas now has three this season and 39 for his career, which is fifth all-time at Ohio State.
    • Four Buckeyes - Josh Demas (8-0), Nick Heflin (6-0), Hunter Stieber (10-0) and Logan Stieber (7-0) - are the lone Buckeyes to remain undefeated this season.
    • Eighty-six percent of Logan Stieber's wins have been bonus point victories. Stieber, 7-0, has three falls, two technical falls and one major decision.

    Postmatch Quotes
    Tom Ryan, Ohio State head coach
    On Ohio State's performance
    I believe we had four matches that were up for grabs and I was right. They beat us up in all four of those matches and that is not where we need to be.

    On Josh Demas and his win With 10 seconds left
    Josh could have waited until overtime, but he didn't. He got the shot for the finish at the buzzer. He is good, but we have to get him scoring more because he has a tremendous offensive and he is just not opening up.

    On the heavier weights and getting them to score more
    We have to work harder and get them to work harder. Kenny [Courts] is coming off a knee injury and two major surgeries, so his body is still adjusting. We have to continue to go after the opponent.

    Josh Demas, redshirt sophomore 157-pounder
    On his match
    I did well. I have to create more space and be aware of when I am going out of bounds.

    On his expectations
    I thought I was going to score more, but my opponent [Troy Reaghard] was trying to slow me down, so I could lose my speed. I'm aware of what I need to fix.

    On his win with 10 seconds left
    I was not nervous. My coaches told me to never get nervous. I knew if I continued to go after him he would eventually break or get tired.

    Peter Capone, redshirt junior heavyweight
    On the team's performance
    It was a better dual meet than against Davidson and Virginia Tech. Everyone was a lot more confident against their opponents. Our lightweights did really well with their pins.

    On what he needs to work on in practice
    My match did not go as well as I wanted it to go. I have to continue to get in better shape and be aware of my opponents more.

    On the upcoming invitational in Las Vegas
    I'm really excited for it. It's a two-day tournament, so the opponents are more spread out.

    Results:
    125 No. 8 Nikko Triggas (Ohio State) pins Godwin Nyama (Pittsburgh) 2:32
    133 No. 1 Logan Stieber (Ohio State) pins Shelton Mack (Pittsburgh) 4:26
    141 No. 4 Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) major dec. Travis Shaffer (Pittsburgh) 10-2
    149 No. 7 Cam Tessari (Ohio State) major dec. Donnie Tasser (Pittsburgh) 11-3
    157 No. 16 Josh Demas (Ohio State) dec. Troy Reaghard (Pittsburgh) 3-1
    165 No. 16 Tyler Wilps (Pittsburgh) dec. Mark Martin (Ohio State) 5-1
    174 No. 2 Nick Heflin (Ohio State) dec. Nick Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh) 4-3
    184 No. 14 Max Thomusseit (Pittsburgh) dec. Kenny Courts (Ohio State) 3-2
    197 No. 2 Matthew Wilps (Pittsburgh) major dec. C.J. Magrum (Ohio State) 13-3
    HWT No. 8 Zac Thomusseit (Pittsburgh) dec. No. 19 Peter Capone (Ohio State) 5-1

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