ASHLAND – Hours after dropping out of the NAIA Top 20 poll, the Southern Oregon men's wrestling team responded by taking down its third top-10 opponent of the season Thursday night at Bob Riehm Arena.
The Raiders' latest victim was No. 9 Providence (Mont.), which they defeated for the first time in five years by a score of 21-15 thanks to 197-pounder Andrew Herrera's late upset. Herrera, who fell out of the national rankings Thursday from the No. 24 spot, stepped on the mat with SOU leading 15-12 and Providence's second-ranked KC Buday looming in the heavyweight matchup. He and No. 15 Liam Swanson ended the third period tied 2-2, but Herrera took him down for the upset 45 seconds into the extra session to clinch the win.
The Raiders improved to 9-3, upping their highest win total since the 2017-18 season.
They also got a pivotal upset from 157-pound redshirt-freshman Dylan Straley, whose third-period reversal was the difference in a 5-3 decision over No. 25 Aden Graves. Straley's was the fourth consecutive match won by the Raiders – following No. 20 Simon Graeber's first-round pin of Eli Abercrombie at 133, No. 8 Evan Potter's 6-0 decision over Caleb Birdwell at 141, and No. 6 Aaron Gandara's 4-0 decision over Dougie Swanson at 149. It put the Raiders up 15-3.
After Providence's No. 24 Bridger Hall cut into their lead with a decision at 165, No. 19 Alex Hernandez gave them some breathing room with another upset – holding off No. 9 Abel Nava, 3-2, at 174.
A pin for Providence's No. 10 Sawyer Hobbs that cut the lead in half at 184 then set up Herrera's heroics.
Buday went on to edge No. 20 Antonio Garcia, 2-0. Devon Altenburg-Lasher accounted for the Argos' other win with a decision to start the night.
Potter and Gandara both remained perfect in dual matches. The former improved to 11-0, and the latter to 10-0.
Next up, the Raiders will meet No. 10 Eastern Oregon in Prineville for a 7 p.m. dual on Wednesday. They'll return to Ashland on Feb. 4 to face Corban at 5:30 p.m. and San Francisco State at 7 p.m. in their final home appearances of the season.
SOUTHERN OREGON 21, PROVIDENCE 15
125 – Deven Altenburg-Lasher, UP, dec. Mikey Ladkani, 2-1. (0-3)
133 – #20 Simon Graeber, SOU, p. Eli Abercrombie, 2:17. (6-3)
141 – #8 Evan Potter, SOU, dec. Caleb Birdwell, 6-0. (9-3)
149 – #6 Aaron Gandara, SOU, dec. Dougie Swanson, 4-0. (12-3)
157 – Dylan Straley, SOU, dec. #25 Aden Graves, 5-3. (15-3)
165 – #24 Bridger Hall, UP, dec. Ayden Wolgamott, 8-2. (15-6)
174 – #19 Alex Hernandez, SOU, dec. #9 Abel Nava, 3-2. (18-6)
184 – #10 Sawyer Hobbs, UP, p. Kabb Christensen, 1:21. (18-12)
197 – Andrew Herrera, SOU, dec. #15 Liam Swanson, 4-2 (SV). (21-12)
285 – #2 KC Buday, UP, dec. #20 Antonio Garcia, 2-0. (21-15)