Despite winning the final two matches to make the dual look closer than it was, the #6 Nebraska wrestling team struggled early and often against #4 Iowa Friday night in front of a record crowd
A program record 7,891 fans traversed the frigid weather Friday night to see their Huskers take on the Hawkeyes, a team they haven’t beaten since 2005 — well before Nebraska’s move to the Big Ten. After losing the first two matches, Nebraska was never able to catch the Hawkeyes in this dual, especially after
Iowa picked up a pinfall win early in the night to go up 12-3.
Nebraska won four of the ten bouts in its 22-14 loss to the Hawkeyes. It was Iowa head coach Tom Brands’ 300th career dual win.
Weight-By-Weight Recap
125 pounds
Taking the mat first was Alan Koehler for Nebraska against Iowa backup Joey Cruz.
Cruz got in on a single-leg early in the first period for a takedown to go up 3-0. Koehler then scored a quick escape and another escape in the second period. Cruz started the third period with an escape in the third period and held on for the 4-2 win over Koehler.
With the loss, Koehler is now 10-11 on the year.
I’d expect to see Kael Lauridsen get his shot on Sunday against Ohio State.
133 pounds
Nebraska’s #8 Jacob Van Dee came out with a lot of energy and looked to be shot out of a cannon with a first-period takedown, but it was all Iowa’s #11 Drake Ayala after that.
Ayala scored three takedowns throughout the rest of the match and collected a riding-time point for the 12-6 decision win over Van Dee.
With the loss, Van Dee drops to 12-2 on the year.
141 pounds
In a hard-fought match, Nebraska’s #3 Brock Hardy reached a major career milestone in winning his 100th career match against Iowa’s #13 Nasir Bailey.
After a scoreless first period, Hardy scored an escape to go up 1-0 to begin the second period. In the third, Bailey chose neutral and was unable to get through Hardy’s defense.
With the 1-0 decision win, Hardy is now 13-3 on the year and 100-27 for his career. Hardy is Nebraska’s 32nd 100-match winner.
149 pounds
Nebraska’s #12 Chance Lamer wrestled a tough match but was caught in the end in a cradle that really gave Iowa the momentum that they never really lost.
Iowa’s #10 Ryder Block struck first with a takedown off the opening whistle, but Lamer took the lead in the second period with a takedown of his own. Block was able to tie things at 5-5 with a pair of escapes before getting in on a single-leg in the third and tripping Lamer right into the cradle that ended things with a stick.
Iowa took an imposing 12-3 lead with the pin, swinging all the momentup toward the Hawkeyes.
With the loss, Lamer is now 12-2 this season but just 2-2 in duals.
157 pounds
Facing Iowa’s #11 Jordan Williams, Nebraska’s #5 Antrell Taylor withstood a game opponent for the eventual win in sudden victory.
After a scoreless first period, both wrestlers traded escapes in the second and third period before heading to sudden victory. In overtime, Taylor was the aggressor as he kept attacking Williams toward the edge, nearly scoring the takedown. After Williams got away, Taylor continued pushing him out of bounds to draw the deciding (second) stall call and the point for the 2-1 win.
With the win Taylor is now 14-2 on the year.
165 pounds
In this match between Nebraska’s #7 LJ Araujo and Iowa’s #3 Michael Caliendo, the Hawkeye senior proved to be too much for the redshirt freshman.
Caliendo collected four takedowns in the match on the way to the 14-4 win via major decision over Araujo. An NCAA finalist, Caliendo used his relentless style to earn the bonus points, putting Iowa up 16-6 in the dual.
With the loss, Araujo is now 10-5 on the year.
174 pounds
In another matchup between Top-10 wrestlers, Nebraska’s #6 Christopher Minto was unable to handle the pressure and relentlessness of Iowa’s #3 Patrick Kennedy.
Both wrestlers scored escapes in regulation, sending the match to overtime. After a scoreless sudden victory period, Kennedy scored an immediate escape in the first tiebreaker, forcing Minto to choose neutral in the second tiebreaker. Minto was unable to get a takedown in the final 30-second period, dropping the match 2-1.
With the loss, Minto drops to 13-3 on the year.
184 pounds
Nebraska’s #7 Silas Allred took on a familiar opponent Friday night in Iowa’s Gabe Arnold. After splitting one-takedown matches last year, the two had another one.
Arnold was able to strike first with a first-period takedown. The two traded escapes in the second and third periods, but Allred was unable to get in for a score on Arnold, dropping the match 4-1.
With the loss, Allred falls to 11-5 on the year.
197 pounds
In one of the bright spots for the Huskers, sophomore #11 Camden McDanel took care of business against Brody Sampson.
McDanel scored a late first-period takedown before adding another in the second to go up 7-1. McDanel then collected four takedowns in the third period to earn the 20-5 win via technical fall, cutting the Iowa lead to 22-11.
With the win, McDanel improves to 13-4 on the year. He scored six of Nebraska’s nine total takedowns on the night.
285 pounds
Nebraska’s #4 AJ Ferrari took the mat against Iowa’s #12 Ben Kueter here.
Late in the first period, Ferrari hit Kueter with a double-leg takedown to go up 3-0. Ferrari then scored an escape in the second to go up 4-0. In the third period, Kueter earned an eventual escape but was unable to take Ferrari down despite a late shot that nearly got him
With the win, Ferrari improves to 8-1 on the year.
