#9 Wrestling Falls to NC State Despite #1 Flores’ Career-Fastest Pin; Watch Highlights

No. 1 Ryan Flores and No. 19 Daniel Mitchell each recorded pins for the second straight night, but the No. 9 American University wrestling team came up on the short end of a 25-19 score to visiting North Carolina State Friday evening in Bender Arena.

In addition to Flores' and Mitchell's pins, other winners on the night for American (4-6) were Corey Borshoff (133 lbs.) and No. 4 Ganbayar Sanjaa (157 lbs.), both of whom won by decisions. North Carolina State (4-4) won six bouts on the night, including the final matchup at 149 lbs. to clinch the dual.

"Overall, tonight's match was a little disappointing with some of the losses that we gave up and again bonus points hurt us really badly," commented Head Coach Teague Moore. "Ryan [Flores] is showing why he wanted to be a national champion this year and Danny [Mitchell] is close behind and he's exciting to watch right now. Ganbayar [Sanjaa] got us off to a great start tonight and Corey [Borshoff] battling through to get his win showed this team that there are times when you just have to dig a little deeper when you're tired and Corey found a way to do that."

Flores, the top-ranked heavyweight in the country, was impressive yet again, recording a fall in a career-fastest 24 seconds against North Carolina State's Josh Davis. Flores is now 8-0 on the season with seven pins, including falls in each of his last four bouts which have come in a combined five minutes and 44 seconds.

Mitchell earned his second pin in as many nights at 197 lbs. against KaRonne Jones. Mitchell registered three takedowns in the opening period to jump out to a 6-2 advantage and added three near-falls in the second period to extend his lead to 13-2. The junior went to work on the pin in the third period and his fall came at the 5:53 mark, his fifth pin of the season.

The back-to-back pins by Mitchell at 197 and Flores at 285 propelled American to a 13-9 team score midway through six bouts, although that lead would not hold up down the stretch.

The dual began at 157 lbs. as Sanjaa earned an 8-3 decision for the Eagles against Colton Palmer of NC State. Sanjaa, who now has a 14-1 mark on the season, recorded a first-period takedown to take control of the bout. After a Palmer escape in the second, Sanjaa extended his margin with a pair of takedowns in the third period to give the Eagles a 3-0 team lead.

But American struggled at 165 lbs., 174 lbs., and 184 lbs. as the Wolfpack opened up a 13-3 advantage through four. Tanner Shaffer was pinned by NC State's Nijel Jones at the 4:49 mark at 165 lbs., and Phillip Barreiro came up on the short end of a 22-8 major decision to Quinton Godley at 174 lbs.  NC State's Robert O'Neill then followed with a 13-9 decision at 184 lbs. over AU's Thomas Barreiro to open up a 10-point Wolfpack lead.

Following the pins by Mitchell and Flores, the dual moved to 125 lbs. where NC State's Coltin Fought had his way with AU's Thomas Williams, earning a 7-0 decision. Fought used a takedown in each of the first two periods to take control as the Wolfpack regained the team lead, 16-15, through seven bouts.

At 133 lbs., Borshoff fell behind to the Wolfpack's Ben Elliott on a quick takedown, but Borshoff rallied with a reversal to tie it at two through one period. In the second, a pair of Borshoff takedowns along with an Elliott escape gave AU's grappler a 6-3 lead en route to a 7-3 decision as AU took an 18-16 team advantage.

The bout at 141 lbs. matched a pair of ranked wrestlers, No. 12 Matt Mariacher of American against No. 13 Darrius Little of the Wolfpack. After a scoreless opening period, Little earned an escape to begin the second and added a takedown for a 3-0 lead. A Mariacher escape cut the deficit to 3-1, but a late takedown in the second period pushed Little's lead to 5-1 through two. Mariacher tried to stage a late comeback, recording a takedown in the final seconds to trim Little's lead to 5-4, but it was not enough as NC State took control of the team score, 19-18, with one bout to go.

At 149 lbs., AU's Kevin Tao took a 3-2 lead in the first period following a takedown, but a reversal by NC State's Matt Nereim gave the Wolfpack wrestler a 4-3 lead heading into the second period. After little action in the second period, Nereim took control with a three-point near fall and then another two-pointer before pinning Tao at 6:23.

"It's unfortunate that we lost but it's not the end of the season and we'll still have other shots at dual meets coming up," added Moore. "We'll take what we can from this weekend and grow from it. There are a few things that we'll change and we'll make those changes, and be ready for the next time we step out on the mat."

The Eagles will resume dual meet competition on Friday, February 3 when they travel to Binghamton. The action will get underway at 7 p.m.

North Carolina State 25, No. 9 American 18
157 – No. 4 Ganbayar Sanjaa (American) dec. Colton Palmer (NC State), 8-3; American leads 3-0
165 – Nijel Jones (NC State) pins Tanner Shaffer (American), 4:49; NC State leads 6-3
174 – Quinton Godley (NC State) maj. dec. Phillip Barreiro (American), 22-8; NC State leads 10-3
184 – Robert O'Neill (NC State) dec. Thomas Barreiro (American), 13-9; NC State leads 13-3
197 – No. 19 Daniel Mitchell (American) pins KaRonne Jones (NC State), 5:53; NC State leads 13-9
285 – No. 1 Ryan Flores (American) pins Josh Davis (NC State), 0:24; American leads 15-13
125 – Coltin Fought (NC State) dec. Thomas Williams (American), 7-0; NC State leads 16-15
133 – Corey Borshoff (American) dec. Ben Elliott (NC State), 7-3; American leads 18-16
141 – No. 13 Darrius Little (NC State) dec. No. 12 Matt Mariacher (American), 5-4; NC State leads 19-18
149 – Matt Nereim (NC State) pins Kevin Tao (American), 6:23; NC State wins 25-18