MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The No. 10 Nebraska wrestling team battled but came up short against No. 14 Minnesota Golden Gophers, who won six of ten bouts and defeated the Huskers 19-13 at Maturi Pavilion on Friday night.
The meet began at 165 with Bubba Wilson squaring off with #19 Andrew Sparks. Wilson recorded an escape and a reversal, but that was not enough as Sparks notched a 6-3 decision to give Minnesota an early 3-0 lead.
#5 Mikey Labriola (174) recorded the first Husker win of the night as he defeated #23 Bailee O’Reilly. Labriola attacked early, recording a takedown to hold the 2-1 lead entering the second period. After the two traded escapes, Labriola recorded a takedown in period three to grab the 5-3 lead. With :15 seconds left, O’Reilly scrambled and got his first takedown of the match to tie it. In the final seconds, Labriola attacked with a reversal and tallied two near fall points to seal the 9-5 decision.
Making his 2022 conference and dual debut, Brandyn Van Tassell got the call at 184 taking on Minnesota’s #28 Isaiah Salazar. The wrestlers battled to a 3-3 tie to start period two before Salazar scored two near fall points to grab the 5-3 advantage. In the third, Salazar tallied a quick escape and a takedown while securing the riding time point in route to a 9-3 decision victory.
#4 Eric Schultz (197) then battled #30 Michael Foy in one of six bouts between ranked wrestlers on the night. Schultz held Foy scoreless after three minutes and was the first to attack as he recorded an escape in the second period. Foy responded with an escape to start the third period tied. The wrestlers scrambled before Foy received a stall warning, and Schultz took the match by decision 2-1 to stay undefeated in this season’s conference play.
The consensus No. 1 285-pounder in the country, Minnesota heavyweight Gable Steveson, came into tonight’s match holding a perfect 36-0 record over the last three seasons. That record remained unblemished tonight after he worked a hard-fought 17-6 major decision over NU’s #11 Christian Lance.
Facing his second top 10 opponent in a week, Jeremiah Reno (125) tallied a reversal against #8 Patrick McKee in the first, but McKee held a 5-2 lead after two periods. In the third, McKee recorded an escape and used the riding time point to push past Reno by a final score of 7-2.
The dual continued with 133. Alex Thomsen grappled with #24 Jake Gliva. Thomsen recorded an early takedown, but Gliva responded in the second period with a takedown and four near fall points on his way to an 8-3 decision.
#9 Chad Red Jr. (141) returned to the lineup as he faced #17 Jake Bergeland in the fourth ranked matchup of the night. Red impressed early as he scored a takedown and four near fall points while holding Bergeland scoreless through two periods. Entering the third period, Red led 8-0 and recorded an escape to claim the major decision.
Following Red’s victory, the Huskers trailed 16-10 entering #4 Ridge Lovett’s bout with #26 Michael Blockhus. Blockhus grabbed the early takedown and held Lovett scoreless through two periods. In the third, Lovett dominated with a reversal and four near fall points to take the 7-2 decision. Lovett is still undefeated in dual competition the last two seasons.
To cap off the night, #5 Peyton Robb (157) took the mat with a chance to win the dual for the Huskers. Robb wrestled #4 Brayton Lee to a scoreless first two periods. In the third, Lee attacked and recorded the first takedown of the match. Lee extended his lead with an escape and used the riding time point to grab the 4-0 decision.
With the loss, the Huskers fall to 3-2 (0-2 Big Ten) and the Gophers improve to 3-2 (2-1 Big Ten).
The Huskers will be back in action next Friday when they travel to Madison, Wisc., to take on the #9 Badgers (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten). The dual will begin at 7 p.m. and can be streamed online via B1G+ (subscription required).
#10 Nebraska 13, #14 Minnesota 19
165: #19 Andrew Sparks (MINN) dec. Bubba Wilson (NEB) 6-3 (MINN 3, NEB 0)
174: #5 Mikey Labriola (NEB) dec. #23 Bailee O’Reilly (MINN) 7-5 (MINN 3, NEB 3)
184: #28 Isaiah Salazar (MINN) dec. Brandyn Van Tassell (NEB) 9-3 (MINN 6, NEB 3)
197: #4 Eric Schultz (NEB) dec. #30 Michial Foy (MINN) 2-1 (MINN 6, NEB 6)
285: #1 Gable Steveson (MINN) maj. dec. #11 Christian Lance (NEB) 17-6 (MINN 10, NEB 6)
125: #8 Patrick McKee (MINN) dec. Jeremiah Reno (NEB) 7-2 (MINN 13, NEB 6)
133: #24 Jake Gliva (MINN) dec. Alex Thomsen (NEB) 8-3 (MINN 16, NEB 6)
141: #9 Chad Red Jr. (NEB) maj. dec. #17 Jake Bergeland (MINN) 9-0 (MINN 16, NEB 10)
149: #4 Ridge Lovett (NEB) dec. #26 Michael Blockhus (MINN) 7-2 (MINN 16, NEB 13)
157: #4 Brayton Lee (MINN) dec. #5 Peyton Robb (NEB) 4-0 (MINN 19, NEB 13)
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