In the Mustangs’ 23-12 win over Cal State Bakersfield Friday night, 197-pounder Ryan Smith faced his nemesis, No. 17 Riley Orozco, who stymied the Mustang in four previous matches.
Co-head coach Mark Perry put it bluntly.
“(Orozco) has been Ryan Smith’s kryptonite,” he said.
After giving up the first points, Smith turned the match on its head when he scored a buzzer-beating takedown, to take a 3-2 lead into the second period. He would score one more takedown in the second period coupled with two escapes, moving the score to 7-5 with one period remaining.
The quick-paced match wore on both wrestlers as Smith gave up one point to start the third period, but Smith was defiant as the crowd cheered his name behind him.
Smith blocked shots left and right, but the referee called him twice for stalling in the final 37 seconds, the last coming with seven-seconds remaining.
It tied the match as time expired.
“After I got the point (called against me), I put it behind me and knew it was going to overtime,” Smith said. “In my head going into overtime, I was not going to lose. Losing was not an option. It meant too much to me to lose that match.”
A win would clinch the dual; a loss would send Smith back to the drawing board. Then, moments into overtime, Orozco made a move for Smith’s legs, but he sprawled on the mat.
Smith flung his leg back, catching Orozco in a front headlock and began to circle viciously. As Smith squeezed tighter, he searched for a leg to clinch the takedown and the match.
He did and threw his hands in the air then sank into a grateful bow to the fans.
“I’m trying to make wrestling a big thing here,” Smith said. “We had a good crowd out there tonight. It was my way of saying thank you to them … When you have the stands shouting behind you that gives you a little extra energy, that gives you a little more fight, that gives you a little more will and desire.”
However, Smith’s match was only one of a few epic duels on the night. In a decision that pained coaches, Filip Novachkov gave up his ability to compete at 133-pounds, choosing instead to pursue an NCAA title at 149-pounds.
Enjoying a few big meals gave Novachkov more energy, he said, but also made him feels slightly sluggish. It was apparent as the clock ticked to a close in the first period. The senior gave up four quick points in the final 20 seconds on a reversal in which John Cardenas took Novachkov to his back, and the feat repeated itself at the end of the next period.
Cardenas appeared to be in control with a virtual three-point lead going into the final 90 seconds.
However, Novachkov went on the offensive — something he struggled to do in the third period at 133-pounds — narrowing the gap to two points. Just 20 seconds remained when Novachkov dove for Cardenas’ legs, which he narrowly managed to hold as his opponent struggled for another 10 seconds.
Novachkov tried desperately to extricate his foot from Cardenas’ hands, the only thing keeping the two from overtime. A final kick freed his foot as the buzzer sounded, giving him two points and sending the match into sudden death.
Cardenas looked demoralized while Novachkov appeared bolstered by the theatrics. Navachkov quickly overpowered his foe with a calm confidence in overtime as he started his journey at 149-pounds with a win.
“I was feeling good going into overtime, I knew I had the advantage because the guy was tired,” Novachkov said.
In the match before, Boris Novachkov earned a technical fall (19-4) over Elijah Nacita and became the first Mustang wrestler in 26 matches to win by more than seven points.
Barrett Abel, a 157-pounder, managed to turn an early deficit into a first period pin via a “cradle” as he picked up his 20th win this season.
No. 16 Ryan DesRoches, wrestling at 165-pounds, extended his team-leading win total to 27, with a come from behind 5-2 victory.
As a team, the win moves the teams’ record to 7-1 on the season and gives the Mustangs a chance to post a 10-1 record this season.
Next up, Arizona State on Sunday. The dual will be broadcast on the internet. The Mustangs final dual at home will take place at 2 p.m. in Mott Gym on Feb.3, in their final tuneup before the Pac-10 championships.