March 17, 2007

DETROIT - Pitt's No. 2 seed Keith Gavin will take on No. 1 seed and two-time national champion Ben Askren of Missouri in tomorrow night's finals at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. Gavin won tonight's semifinal bout by one point, wrestling at 174 pounds. He'll compete live tomorrow night on ESPN at 8 p.m.

Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) wrestled Oklahoma State's Brandon Mason, an unseeded wrestler who knocked off two seeded wrestlers throughout the championships. In the first period, Gavin scored two and held Mason to one point on an escape. Mason tied it up at two with an escape in the second. Gavin had a takedown in the third period, and Mason was only able to score on an escape, giving Gavin the 4-3 decision. He'll now face Askren in the finals, a wrestler he's lost to twice this season - once in a dual meet and once in Las Vegas.

Also staying strong this evening was Pitt's Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College) who remains alive in consolations at 157 pounds. Tonight he defeated Drexel's Ryan Hluschak. In the first period, Kocher scored on a takedown and then picked up three more back points. Hluschak came back with an escape and takedown. In the second period, Kocher had an escape and takedown while Hlulschak came through with a reversal. In the final period, Hluschak scored on an escape, but couldn't get the takedown, and Kocher won the 8-6 decision. He'll now finish sixth or higher in the tournament, and tomorrow' he'll take on No. 5 Mike Poeta of Illinois. The winner will advance to the third-place bout. Kocher will wrestle at 10 a.m. tomorrow in the consolation semifinals.

NOTES - Gavin is now tied for seventh for most wins by a Pitt junior with a 28-3 record. Kocher needs one more win this season to make the list for most wins by a junior. He continues to hold the school record for most career tournament victories with 92. Tonight he tied former Pitt wrestler and assistant coach Carl Fronhofer for third among Pitt's career win leaders. Gavin is the first wrestler to make it to the championship finals since Fronhofer placed second in 2003.