March 15, 2007

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Ohio sophomore Jake Frerichs ended his season Thursday with a pair of losses at the NCAA Wrestling Championship at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Michigan.

Frerichs began his day with an 8-3 loss to Nebraska's Chris Oliver and exited the event with a 4-3 loss to West Virginia's Zac Fryling. Frerichs ends his season with a 19-10 overall record.

"It's just a different ball game when you get up here," Frerichs said. "It's the best of the best. I got caught on my back early in the first match and just got out wrestled in the second match."

Oliver was the No. 9 seed in the 157-pound bracket and was ranked eighth in the country in the latest USA Today/NWCA/InterMat Coaches Poll. The Nebraska sophomore jumped to a 5-0 lead before Frerichs earned his first point on an escape. He went on to earn two more points on another reversal and a stalling penalty on Oliver before falling by the final score.

The loss bounced Frerichs to the consolation bracket, where he faced off with Fryling. The two wrestlers matched up previously this season, with Fryling earning a 6-3 victory on Feb. 9. Thursday's contest was closer, but Fryling again earned the victory by a score of 4-3.

Frerichs, a sophomore, will have two more seasons with the Bobcats to take a run at nationals.

"It's a good thing there's next year," Frerichs said. "The experience here today will absolutely help me for next year."