The ASU wrestling team didn't balk at its chance for redemption after losing its first of seven dual meets last week.
Proving that they are still the team to beat at the Pac-10 Championships, the Sun Devils routed both Fresno State and Stanford this weekend.
Sunday's dual at Wells Fargo Arena featured several powerhouse matches. Stanford took the early lead, but the return of John Espinoza helped the Sun Devils tie the score at 6-6. Adam Hickey added to ASU's lead, and No. 9 Brian Stith had a quick takedown in the first period and ended the third with two more.
Trailing 15-9, Patrick Pitsch wrestled through a difficult match. He earned a point for an escape but it wasn't enough to win the nail-biter. After Alex Pavlenko's loss to Luke Feist, ASU senior C.B. Dollaway brought the team out of a deficit to tie at 15-15.
Tenth-ranked Ryan Bader quickly took down Larry Ozowara and eventually pinned him in the second period, putting six team points on the board. Bader's loss last week was unusual for the senior.
"I just made changes," he said. "I worked on a couple things from the loss and just put in work in the practice room."
Without blinking, fourth-ranked Cain Velasquez also pinned his opponent in just one period.
ASU walked away with the win, but coach Thom Ortiz was not completely satisfied, as he said he expects perfection from his team.
"I think we've got to jell more," he said. "Today we should've won at [149 and 165] and we didn't. I was a little disappointed in that, but for those two sophomores [it's] essential for them to step up if they're going to have a good NCAA placing."
Ortiz said that he felt confident his team would bounce back after the loss at Oklahoma.
"We were ready for Fresno, we were fired up for that and had a good crowd out at Kellis High School," he said.
Preparation begins this week for the Pac-10 Championships in two weeks, beginning Feb. 26.
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