GCU Impresses at Iowa City Duals

Friday, November 20

Iowa City, Iowa

11:30 a.m.

Grand Canyon

Iowa

11/20/2015 9:23:00 PM | Wrestling

By: Steven Gonzalez

IOWA CITY – In the toughest competition of the season thus far for the Grand Canyon wrestling team, the Antelopes showed up ready to compete at the Iowa City Duals against the No. 2 team in the country, Iowa, the defending NCJAA national champion, Iowa Central and Cornell College. The Lopes would go 2-1 in the tournament with victories over Iowa Central and Cornell College. Every wreslter that competed for the Lopes picked up an individual victory in the prestigious tournament.

The Lopes started the match with two straight victories from Trayton Libolt at 125-pounds and Juaquin Olivas at 133-pounds. Libolt gave GCU the early 4-0 lead with a 13-4 major decision and Olivas followed up with a 4-2 victory, giving GCU the 7-0 lead. Cornell would take the 141-pound match to make 7-3 but the Lopes quickly responded with a 9-2 victory from Blake Monty at 149-pounds. Zackary Velasquez earned GCU's fifth win of the day with the 3-1 decision to make it 13-3 in GCU's favor.

Grand Canyon was impressive as they avoided losing back-to-back matches against Cornell College as the Lopes rattled off four wins to end the match from Kenny Moore at 174-pounds, Cale Wilson at 184-pounds, Austin Gaun 197-pounds and at 285, Sean Medley would close out the match in a tiebreaker giving GCU the 28-6 victory.

In the final match of the day for Grand Canyon, the team would close out the tournament with a victory over the defending NCJAA national champs for its third victory as a team this season. Libolt picked up his second straight victory of the day with a technical fall, earning the 16-0 victory giving GCU five points. Olivas also had a technical fall to increase the Lopes' lead to 10-0. Uzo Owuama was dominant in his victory over Iowa Central to earn his first victory of the day with the 17-1 technical fall. Bobby Reece also picked up his first win of the day at 165-pounds with the major decision to put GCU ahead 19-12. Larson earned his second straight victory with the 15-0 technical fall to put GCU up 24-12. Gaun and Medley would close out match with victories to give the Lopes the 40-12 victory.

In the first match of the day, the Lopes fell to No. 2 Iowa 44-0 after facing five wrestlers ranked in the top-six in the country.

Grand Canyon will now head back home until the hit the mat in Fairfax, Va. to compete against North Carolina State, Clarion and George Mason on Dec. 13.