NORMAN — Sometimes it’s like this in wrestling. One team — not the highest ranked team, not the favorite, not the home team — can jump out to a big lead, in part, simply because it is better at one group of weights than another.
That, however, doesn’t make coming back a whole lot easier, when there’s little room for error and the pressure is on.
No. 10 Oklahoma endured just such a dual Sunday, coming back from a 16-point deficit to pin down No. 14 Lehigh 22-16.
The Sooners lost the day’s first five bouts but rolled in the next five, picking up a couple technical falls and a pin along the way.
“It was a big comeback for us against one of the better teams that we have competed against this year,” Sooner coach Mark Cody said. “(Lehigh head coach) Pat Santoro is a personal friend of mine and he is one of the best out there, so any time we can come out with a win against one of his teams I feel really good about it.”
The dual began at 165 pounds, where Lehigh’s Sean Bilbodeau upset OU’s Bubby Graham via an 11-5 decision.
Three bouts later, when Lehigh’s Kadeem Samuels, at 197 pounds, outlasted OU’s Keldrick Hall 7-6, the Sooners were down 13-0. Lehigh heavyweight Zach Rey’s 5-3 decision over Kyle Colling made it 16-0.
Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 7 at 125 pounds, began the turnaround in a big way, posting a 23-8 technical fall over Alex Abreu. No. 11, 135-pounder Jordan Keller added to the rally by pinning Mason Beckman in 2:59.
Kendrick Maple, who has dropped to No. 3 at 141 pounds after suffering his only loss against Iowa State, scored a 14-5 major decision over Steve Dutton to bring OU within 16-14. Ninth-ranked Nick Lester, at 149 pounds, made it 17-16 with a 6-1 victory over Anthony Salupo.
Still anybody’s dual going into the final bout at 157 pounds, OU’s Matt Lester made certain it was the Sooners’ dual with a 16-0 technical fall over Brian Tanen.
The Sooners are back on the mat at 1 p.m. Feb. 5 at Missouri.
