STILLWATER, Okla. – First-year Ryan Crookham won by major decision to move to 9-0 on the season and give No. 20 Lehigh an early lead but No. 11 Oklahoma State won six straight bouts from 141 through 184 to claim a 25-12 win over the Mountain Hawks Friday night at Historic Gallagher-Iba Arena.
 
Junior Michael Beard and sophomore Nathan Taylor closed the dual on a high note with back-to-back wins, with Taylor knocking off his second ranked opponent of the season, but the Mountain Hawks fell to 0-3 on the dual campaign.
 
"We let a few matches slip through our hands," Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro said. "We had some single legs up in the air that would've been the difference in a match. We have to be cleaner there. There were some good things tonight. I thought that we could win this dual. I thought we could win six matches and we lost all the tight ones. You can't do that, especially when you're away. You have to pick up your pace. If you're in a race, you have to run faster, not slower."
 
True first-year Luke Stanich got the nod in the opening bout against No. 21 Troy Spratley at 125, with the Cowboy making a first period takedown stand in a 4-2 decision.
 
Third-ranked Daton Fix did not weigh in for Oklahoma State (2-0) so Crookham faced Reece Witcraft at 133. Crookham converted a takedown in each period and added a third period escape and riding time to claim an 11-2 major decision, putting Lehigh up 4-3 at the opening break.
 
"Witcraft if really good, but Ryan was really steady," Santoro said. "That was a big win for us at that point. He beat a good kid and beat him convincingly."
 
Lehigh expected to have junior Malyke Hines back at 141 but a skin infection made Hines a late scratch. Instead, true first-year Ethan Smith weighed in just over 125 and faced No. 9 Tagen Jamison. Smith battled but giving up nearly 15 pounds, Jamison proved too tough in a 17-2 technical fall secured early in the third period. The result gave the Cowboys an 8-4 lead and started a run of six straight Oklahoma State wins.
 
Junior Drew Munch faced Jordan Williams at 149. A high scoring first period saw Munch trail 9-4 after three minutes with both wrestlers mustering just an escape the rest of the way, despite their best efforts. Williams' 10-5 decision put OSU up 11-4.
 
Oklahoma State's momentum continued into 157 as Teague Travis defeated junior Max Brignola 5-1. Brignola led 1-0 after two before Travis escaped early in the third and added a takedown while riding out to secure advantage time.
 
Second-ranked Izzak Olejnik delivered the Cowboys' second bonus point win of the night with a 14-5 At major decision over junior Jake Logan at 165.
 
Oklahoma State's Brayden Thompson scored takedowns in the second and third periods to defeat sophomore Thayne Lawrence at 174, while third-ranked Dustin Plott won a 9-1 major decision over first-year Caden Rogers at 184.
 
"They finished periods out way better than we did," Santoro said. "Some guys need to continue to work on bottom. It was a lot of fundamental stuff. Oklahoma State has a really good team. We need to be better. I thought we'd have a better fight. It wasn't terrible, but it was not what I was expecting."
 
Beard improved to 9-1 on the season with an 18-2 technical fall over Kyle Haas at 197. Haas was subbing for 12th-ranked Luke Surber. Beard led 7-0 after a takedown and four-point near fall late in the opening period. He added two more takedowns in the second and put the match away with a penalty point, an escape and another takedown in the third, ending the match at 5:32.
 
Taylor closed out the night by winning the only matchup of two ranked wrestlers and the only rematch from last year's Oklahoma State victory at Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. A double leg takedown helped Taylor to a 3-1 lead over No. 11 Konner Doucet after one period. The wrestlers traded escapes in the second and third periods, and while Taylor conceded a stalling point, Doucet was never able to take him down as Taylor avenged a 2-1 loss last year with a 4-3 decision.
 
The Mountain Hawks will now pause for final exams and will return to action when they host the Sheridan Tournament, Friday Dec. 22 at Stabler Arena. Action begins at 10 a.m. as the Sheridan Tournament returns for the first time since 1999.
 
The 2023-24 Lehigh wrestling season is presented by the Historic Hotel Bethlehem.
 
No. 11 Oklahoma State 25, No. 20 Lehigh 12 
125 – Troy Spratley (OSU) dec. Luke Stanich (Lehigh) 4-2
133 – Ryan Crookham (Lehigh) major dec. Reece Witcraft (OSU) 11-2
141 – Tagen Jamison (OSU) tech fall Ethan Smith (Lehigh) 17-2, 5:16
149 – Jordan Williams (OSU) dec. Drew Munch (Lehigh) 10-5
157 – Teague Travis (OSU) dec. Max Brignola (Lehigh) 5-1
165 – Izzak Olejnik (OSU) major dec. Jake Logan (Lehigh) 14-5
174 – Brayden Thompson (OSU) dec. Thayne Lawrence (Lehigh) 8-2
184 – Dustin Plott (OSU) major dec. Caden Rogers (Lehigh) 9-1
197 – Michael Beard (Lehigh) tech fall Kyle Haas (OSU) 18-2, 5:32
285 – Nathan Taylor (Lehigh) dec. Konner Doucet (OSU) 4-3
 
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