Augsburg (6-5), the No. 7-ranked team in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III national rankings, rallied from a 15-9 deficit to No. 13-ranked Wisconsin-La Crosse (9-5) with wins in the final two bouts, claiming a 15-15 team tie. To determine the match winner, it went to the third tiebreaker criteria -- total points earned by each team from decisions, major decisions and technical falls. Augsburg had 51 points to UW-La Crosse's 46, which meant the extra team point for the victory went to Augsburg.
Matt Hechsel (JR, Apple Valley, Minn.) scored an 8-1 victory over Alastair Keys to start the final Auggie comeback at 197 pounds, claiming a takedown, two near-falls and 1:49 of riding time to earn the win. The No. 5-ranked 197-pounder nationally, Hechsel is now 25-7 this season and 79-36 in his Auggie career.
Top-ranked heavyweight Chad Johnson (SR, Ferryville, Wis./De Soto HS) claimed the final Auggie points with a 4-0 win over Jake Minske in the last bout of the evening. The two-time defending NCAA Division III national champion at heavyweight and three-time All-American, Johnson is now 25-1 on the season and 130-14 on his career. Johnson has not lost to a Division III opponent since his first season; he is now 98-3 since the beginning of his sophomore campaign.
No. 4-ranked 125-pounder Mike Fuenffinger (JR, Hibbing, Minn.) improved to 25-3 overall and 68-20 on his career with a 7-4, match-opening win over Ryan Weinmann. Will Keeter (JR, Twin Falls, Idaho), moved to 23-14 on the year and 92-43 on his career with a 4-2 win over Dylan Shaffer at 149. Keeter is now 9-4 since moving from 157 pounds to 149, including a 6-1 mark in his last seven matches.
Tyrell Martin (JR, Eagan, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) moved to 13-10 on the season with a 12-7 win over Richard Carlson at 174. Martin rallied from a 7-2 deficit after one period, scoring an escape, takedown and three near-falls to score the come-from-behind win.
UW-La Crosse also had five victories, including a 7-1 win by top-ranked Eric Twohey at 184 pounds. Martino Balsiger (133), Cody See (141), R.J. Dilcher (157) and Tyler Schneider (165) also won bouts for the Eagles.
Augsburg returns to action on Sunday (2/16) with a dual meet at Saint John's. The junior varsity dual starts at 11:30 a.m., with the varsity dual starting at 1 p.m.
Results:
125 -- No. 4 Mike Fuenffinger (AUG, 25-3) dec. Ryan Weinmann (UWL, 10-10) 7-4 (Augsburg 3-0)
133 -- Martino Balsiger (UWL, 8-3) dec. Chad Bartschenfeld (AUG, 17-13) 6-5 (TIED 3-3)
141 -- Cody See (UWL, 14-5) dec. Marcus Hamer (AUG, 21-11) 6-2 (UW-La Crosse 6-3)
149 -- Will Keeter (AUG, 23-14) dec. Dylan Shaffer (UWL, 13-5) 4-2 (TIED 6-6)
157 -- R.J. Dilcher (UWL, 11-9) dec. Rashad Kennedy (AUG, 20-15) 7-5 (UW-La Crosse 9-6)
165 -- Tyler Schneider (UWL, 25-5) dec. Justin Bowland (AUG, 19-14) 6-2 (UW-La Crosse 12-6)
174 -- Tyrell Martin (AUG, 13-10) dec. Richard Carlson (UWL, 12-7) 12-7 (UW-La Crosse 12-9)
184 -- No. 1 Eric Twohey (UWL, 19-0) dec. Tommy Teigen (AUG, 18-10) 7-1 (UW-La Crosse 15-9)
197 -- No. 5 Matt Hechsel (AUG, 25-7) dec. Alastair Keys (UWL, 13-8) 8-1 (UW-La Crosse 15-12)
HWT -- No. 1 Chad Johnson (AUG, 25-1) dec. Jake Minske (UWL, 16-6) 4-0 (TIED 15-15)
Match goes to criteria to determine winner: Augsburg earns team point on No. 3 tiebreaker criteria (total points, 51-46)
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