Dec. 1, 2007
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Purdue wrestling team is in 19th place at the 26th Annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, amassing a team score of 36.5 points at the two-day event. However, they won't add any more to their total as junior Nick Corpe and freshman A.J. Kissel narrowly missed placing for the Boilermakers, bowing out in the opening session of Day 2 competition.
The Boilermakers can finish no lower than 21st place as Stanford and UNC Greensboro are the only teams alive with a chance to pass them. The Cardinal needs a championship win out of 125-pounder Tanner Gardner, while UNC Greensboro has 133-pounder Jeff Hedges and 197-pounder Daren Bruns in the wrestlebacks. Full results and brackets will be available tonight after the tournament's completion at The Wrestling Mall.
Both Boilermakers fell to nationally ranked opponents on Saturday as Corpe fell to 18th-ranked 174-pounder Eric Decker of Virginia Tech, while Kissel suffered a decision loss to No. 17 184-pounder Doug Umbehauer of Rider.
Corpe closed out the weekend with a 4-2 record and 12 takedowns to give him a team-high 31 on the season. Kissel's trio of pins increased his season total to eight as he's stuck his opponents in 53% of his matches so far this year.
The Boilermakers have just one more match before the winter break as they host Division III foe Mount Saint Joseph on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 1 p.m.