Augsburg (9-0 in dual meets), ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division III national rankings, claimed four wins in the middle of the match to pull ahead of Nebraska-Omaha (5-1), ranked No. 1 in the Division II national poll. The loss snapped an 18-match dual-meet winning streak for the Mavericks.
The Auggies clinched the victory when Jared Massey (JR, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS) topped Jacob Marrs (SR, Oak Hill, Kan./Clay Center HS) 6-2 in battle of the top-ranked wrestlers at 197 pounds in their respective divisions. The win improved Massey's record to 14-0 on the season, and he is now 45-1 in his two seasons at Augsburg.
One of the most important wins in the match came in the opening bout, as Augsburg's Josh Roberts (SO, Grand Forks, N.D./Central HS) claimed a 5-4 victory over UNO's No. 2-ranked Terrell McKinney (FY, Omaha, Neb./North HS) at 125 pounds. Roberts tied the bout with an escape with 20 seconds left in the second period, then in the down position to open the third period, quickly escaped again and held off McKinney to score the upset win.
After the Auggies lost the next two battles, they rattled off four straight wins to take the lead for good. Lucas Murray (JR, Anoka, Minn.) used an escape and takedown in a 17-second span midway through the second period to score a 3-1 win at 149. At 157, Augsburg's No. 5-ranked Jason Adams (SR, Coon Rapids, Minn.) improved to 29-2 on the season, rallying from 2-1 deficit with a takedown and three-point near-fall in the third period to claim a 6-3 win over UNO's No. 2-ranked George Ivanov (FY, Council Bluffs, Iowa/Lewis Central HS).
At 165, Orlando Ponce (JR, Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah-Miami Lakes HS), ranked No. 6 in Division III, used an escape and takedown in the third period to score a 5-3 win over UNO's No. 4-ranked Ryan Pankoke (JR, Beaver Crossing, Neb./Centennial HS), and at 174, Augsburg's No. 3-ranked Zach Molitor (JR, Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) used two takedowns and 3:46 of riding time to score a 6-0 win over Brett Rosedale (SO, Marshalltown, Iowa/East Marshalltown HS).
Nebraska-Omaha claimed four wins, including three in battles of ranked wrestlers. Cody Garcia (SR, Hutchinson, Kan.), the No. 2-ranked wrestler in Division II at 133, claimed a 10-6 win over Augsburg's No. 6-ranked Paul Bjorkstrand (SR, Burnsville, Minn.). In the following match, No. 3-ranked Mario Morgan (JR, Chicago, Ill./Mt. Carmel HS) claimed a 9-2 win over Augsburg's No. 5-ranked Jafari Vanier (SR, Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS).
At heavyweight, No. 2-ranked Elijah Madison (FY, Kansas City, Mo./Oak Park HS) scored a 2-0 win for UNO over Augsburg's No. 7-ranked Andy Witzel (SR, Fulda, Minn.), and the Mavericks' No. 6-ranked Austin Boehm (SO, Urbandale, Iowa) scored a 13-6 win over Augsburg's Brad Baus (SO, Mukwonago, Wis.) at 184.
Augsburg is now 4-2 in the all-time series with Nebraska-Omaha. Since 1989-90, the Auggies are now 247-21 against opponents from Divisions II and III, losing just 16 matches to non-Division I teams since the 1995-96 campaign.
Both teams return to action against ranked opponents in their respective divisions this weekend. Augsburg travels to face No. 6-ranked Wisconsin-La Crosse on Sunday (1/24) at 2 p.m. Nebraska-Omaha travels to face No. 8-ranked St. Cloud State on Saturday (1/23) at 2 p.m.
No. 1 (D-III) Augsburg (Minn., 9-0) 18, No. 1 (D-II) Nebraska-Omaha (5-1) 12
Action begins at 125 pounds.
Time of match: 1:55
Attendance: 518.
Official: Jerry Reker.
Results:
125 -- Josh Roberts (AUG, 12-6) dec. No. 2 Terrell McKinney (UNO, 20-8) 5-4 (Augsburg 3-0).
133 -- No. 2 Cody Garcia (UNO, 34-0) dec. No. 6 Paul Bjorkstrand (AUG, 22-6) 10-6 (TIED 3-3).
141 -- No. 3 Mario Morgan (UNO, 26-3) dec. No. 5 Jafari Vanier (AUG, 6-3) 9-2 (UNO 6-3).
149 -- Lucas Murray (AUG, 12-6) dec. Tait Weatherbee (UNO, 14-14) 3-1 (TIED 6-6).
157 -- No. 5 Jason Adams (AUG, 29-2) dec. No. 2 George Ivanov (UNO, 24-8) 6-3 (Augsburg 9-6).
165 -- No. 6 Orlando Ponce (AUG, 19-8) dec. No. 4 Ryan Pankoke (UNO, 22-6) 5-3 (Augsburg 12-6).
174 -- No. 3 Zach Molitor (AUG, 16-3) dec. Brett Rosedale (UNO, 10-10) 6-0 (Augsburg 15-6).
184 -- No. 6 Austin Boehm (UNO, 12-4) dec. Brad Baus (AUG, 13-9) 13-6 (Augsburg 15-9).
197 -- No. 1 Jared Massey (AUG, 15-0) dec. No. 1 Jacob Marrs (UNO, 25-6) 6-2 (Augsburg 18-9).
HWT -- No. 2 Elijah Madison (UNO, 22-5) dec. No. 7 Andy Witzel (AUG, 15-6) 2-0 (Augsburg 18-12).
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