Grand Canyon University Athletics
Becerra goes unbeaten, Lopes tie at Mile High
1/17/2009 10:39:20 AM | Wrestling
PRESCOTT, Ariz. -- Ryan Becerra is quickly asserting himself and the Lopes are inching closer.
Grand Canyon's 184-pound wrestler went 3-0 Saturday at the Mile High Duals hosted by Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. Becerra defeated San Francisco State's Marques Gales 9-3 in a conference dual match the Antelopes lost 34-6. The sophomore from Gilbert Highland, who attended Cal State Bakersfield, beat Great Falls' Jason Pence 8-6 in a dual Grand Canyon fell 35-15. He also shut out Simon Fraser's Clete Hanson, 2-0, in the Antelopes 21-21 tie.
"He's just starting to get his feel back," GCU coach R.C. LaHaye said of Becerra, who improved to 13-4, and went 5-0 over the weekend.
Becerra's win over Hanson gave the Antelopes a 21-3 lead over Simon Fraser. But three major decisions and a forfeit turned what looked to be GCU's first dual win in school history into a disappointing tie.
"Needless to say, we're going to be working out at 10 a.m. tomorrow," LaHaye said.
Grand Canyon is now 0-10-1 overall, 0-2 in RMAC duals this season.
GCU's Austen Moore pinned Simon Fraser's Isaac Wing at 141. In the 149-pound bout, Bryan Scamber beat SFU's Alex Stemmer by major decision, 22-14. GCU's Jack Porter beat Arminder Virk 6-4 at 165, and Daniel Garay beat Patrick MacDonald by technical fall, 16-1, at 174.
Porter (pictured) pinned Great Falls Rosh Mosher, and Garay beat San Francisco State's Arman Ostadsharif 5-3 at 174 to complete a pair of 2-1 days for the two Lopes middleweights.
GCU will wrestle Embry Riddle in Prescott on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
"It was good just to get more mat time so these guys can get themselves ready when it really matters," LaHaye said. "We're just gonna keep working hard and go at it."
