"We got to be the guys who score the points. We got to be the guys who get the bonus. You can't let matches, either individually or team, go down like that," said Head Coach J Robinson. "We didn't do that. We wrestled well last week. You've got to be able to come back and do it again but we didn't do it. Some of our guys got to take a deep look at themselves and figure out what they got to do to be consistent."
In its ninth dual of the season, Minnesota drew weights for the first time and the meet began at 165 pounds, where Brandon Krone earned a 7-2 decision over Bryce Martin. The victory was Krone's first career dual meet win after making his career dual debut two weeks ago at Oklahoma State.
Indiana fired back, leveling the match at three when No. 11 Nate Jackson defeated Nick Wanzek, 9-3, and jumpinig ahead when Matt Irick followed with a 7-4 decision over Chris Pfarr at 184 pounds.
No. 5 Brett Pfarr thrust Minnesota in front again when he pinned Jake Masengale in the first period of their 197-pound match. The fall was the third of the year for Pfarr and his seventh bonus win in his last nine matches. No. 8 Michael Kroells followed up with a 6-0 decision over Garret Goldman at heavyweight, putting Minnesota in front 12-6, the biggest lead either team would hold in the dual. Kroells' win is his second in as many matches against Goldman.
Following the intermission, Indiana picked up a 14-8 decision at 125 before Alonzo Shepherd pinned Sam Brancale early in the second period of their match at 133 which, like Pfarr's pin early, transformed a three-point deficit into a three-point advantage for the pinning team.
No. 11 Tommy Thorn pulled the Gophers even once again when he defeated Cole Weaver, 6-2, but the advantage was short-lived as Indiana again jumped in front by three with a 17-10 decision by Luke Blanton over No. 10 Jake Short at 149, leaving the Gophers in need of a win at 157 to at least tie, if not win, the dual.
Brandon Kingsley delivered that victory, taking an 8-4 decision over Jake Danishek. Kingsley's win scored the three points need to evened the score for a third time on the night. With the score tied at 18, officials convened at the table and reviewed the tiebreaking criteria, which ultimately gave the match to Indiana.
Friday's defeat snapped several Gopher winning streaks, including a 13-match run over the Hoosiers. It was Minnesota's first loss in a Big Ten home opener since 2007-2008.
Minnesota will have several weeks off for finals and the holidays before returning to action at the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn. on Jan. 1 and 2. The Gophers return to dual meet action at home against Maryland on Jan. 8. That match will be the team's lone home dual broadcast on the Big Ten Network this season.
Results:
165: Brandon Krone (Minn) dec. Bryce Martin (Ind) 7-2
174: #11 Nate Jackson (Ind) dec. Nick Wanzek (Minn) 9-3
184: Matt Irick (Ind) dec. Chris Pfarr (Minn) 7-4
197: #5 Brett Pfarr (Minn) fall Jake Masengale (Ind) 2:16
285: #8 Michael Kroells (Minn) dec. Garret Goldman (Ind) 6-0
125: Elijah Oliver (Ind) dec. Skylar Petry (Minn) 13-8
133: Alonzo Shepherd (Ind) fall Sam Brancale (Minn) 3:44
141: #11 Tommy Thorn (Minn) dec. Cole Weaver (Ind) 6-2
149: Luke Blanton (Ind) dec. #10 Jake Short (Minn) 17-10
157: Brandon Kingsley (Minn) dec. Jake Danishek (Ind) 8-4
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