Hoosiers score 179 points, take 1st at Mat Town Invitational

Senior Joe Dubuque began the defense of his National Championship title Saturday with an individual title in the 125-pound division at the Mat Town Invitational in Lock Haven, Pa. \nJunior Matt Cooper and sophomore Brandon Becker each also came away with titles in the 149- and 157-pound divisions for the Hoosiers. A total of 13 Hoosiers placed in the event, leading No. 16 IU to a first place finish in the tournament. \nThe Hoosiers finished with 179 points, 40.5 ahead of the State University of New York at Buffalo and the University of Oregon, who tied for second place with 138.5 points.\nThe Invitational was the first event of the season for Dubuque and Becker, who each defeated a ranked opponent from host school Lock Haven University in the finals. No. 1-ranked Dubuque started his campaign for the 2005-2006 season with a 4-0 record including a win over No 16. Obenson Blanc 3-1 in the finals. No. 5-ranked Becker, a returning All-American, started 3-0. He won his first two matches by scores of 8-1 and 13-0, and then finished with a 4-2 win in the finals against No. 19 Seth Martin. In addition, Cooper won four matches in the tournament to extend his season record to 7-1. Cooper won the championship after a medical forfeit by Josh Medina, who was also competing for Lock Haven.\nHoosier grapplers also took home four second place finishes by redshirt freshman Andrae Hernandez, sophomores Marc Bennett and Dave Herman and senior Brady Richardson. Richardson came away with the silver after winning the Hoosiers' lone title in the Missouri Open in the 197-pound division. \nRichardson started out the Mat Town Invitational by defeating Tony Rolen of the University of Oregon 15-6 and then won by medical forfeit against No. 19-ranked Adam Wright in the semifinals before falling to No. 5 Kyle Cerminara 6-1 in the finals. Richardson now holds a 9-2 individual record on the season, including a 3-1 record against ranked opponents.\nFreshman Scott Kelley, sophomores Max Dean and Justin Curran, juniors Josh Buuck and Isaac Knable and senior Nick Spatola also finished for the Hoosiers.\nThe Hoosiers continue their campaign Sunday in Cedar Falls, Iowa, at the University of Northern Iowa Open, before returning home to compete in the Hoosier Duals Dec. 10.