Feb. 3, 2011
Complete Release in PDF Format
OREM, Utah -- A year removed from defeating the then eighth ranked Boise State Broncos in Orem, Utah Valley University's wrestling team will head to Boise, Idaho for a much anticipated rematch with the now No. 9 ranked Broncos Friday at 7 p.m.
UVU is 3-2 on the year and 1-1 in Western Wrestling Conference action so far this season, while BSU is 9-2-1 and 5-0-1 in the Pac-10.
The Wolverines upended the Broncos 22-20 last February and in the process also picked up their first-ever win over a nationally-ranked foe. The dual was close the entire way and it came down to the final match to declare a victor.
In the final match, UVU's Casen Eldredge faced a tough task ahead of him. The Wolverines led by five points at the time and Eldredge, who normally wrestles at 184 pounds, moved up two weight classes and wrestled heavyweight against BSU's Sam Zylstra. Eldredge ended up losing the tight match, 6-4, but clinched the monumental win for UVU.
In last year's dual, the Wolverines and Broncos each won five bouts apiece but three of UVU's wins were by bonus points. Flint Ray (133) and Jeb Clark (165) each won their matches by fall and Benjamin Kjar (125) scored a major decision.
This season, Kjar and Ray have led UVU all season long, as the 2009-10 NCAA Qualifiers are currently both nationally ranked 13th in their respective weight class. Ray is 16-1 so far during his senior campaign while Kjar is 19-4.
Last time out UVU lost to WWC rival Wyoming 23-15 on Jan. 22. In that dual the then 25th ranked Cowboys managed to win the final bout, as UVU 149-pounder Josh Wilson fell in a narrow 4-2 decision to No. 19 Cole Dallaserra.
The No. 9 Boise State Broncos will enter Friday's showdown on a five-match win streak. During the stretch BSU has defeated No. 14 Iowa State, No. 24 Cal Poly SLO, Stanford, No. 20 Oregon State and most recently Cal State Bakersfield on Wednesday. The Broncos lone two losses on the season have both come by ranked opponents as BSU fell to No. 5 Minnesota (18-17) and No. 13 Missouri (21-12).
Eight individually ranked grapplers lead Boise State. At 125 Alan Bartelli is ranked 14th, at 133 Utah-native Andrew Hochstrasser is 2nd, 141-pounder Levi Jones is 15th, 149-pounder Jason Chamberlain is 2nd, 157-pounder Adam Hall is also 2nd, 174-pounder Jake Swartz is 14th, Kirk Smith is No. 1 at 184 and Matt Casperson is No. 20 at 197.
The Broncos lead the all-time series with UVU 3-1 but UVU won the last meeting last year in Orem. BSU is a perfect 1-0 against the Wolverines in Boise, as it defeated UVU 34-10 in Nov. 2008.
Following Friday's dual, UVU will return to WWC action when it hosts the Air Force Academy Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. in Orem. That match will be televised locally in Utah County on UVU-TV (Comcast Ch. 17).
