"The team competed well tonight," Nebraska Head Coach Mark Manning said. "I thought we came out with a purpose and put a lot of points on the board. It's not about who we wrestle, but how we compete to our potential."
#13 Zeke Moisey (125) got NU off to a terrific start with a dominating performance over Brandon Cray, taking a 16-4 major decision. True freshman Jevon Parrish, who burned his redshirt last weekend against Northern Iowa, won his first career dual tonight (he's 13-5 overall). Parrish earned two first period takedowns to go up 4-2 and never trailed from there, riding out a 9-5 decision.
"Jevon wrestled well once again tonight and he will gain a lot of confidence from his performance, " Manning said.
#19 Chad Red Jr. had perhaps his best dual performance of the year in a 15-2 major decision against Michael Doetsch. He went up 12-0 in the third period before Doetsch got on the board with an escape. With the win, Red Jr. moves to 12-6 (5-4 in duals) on the season.
After a hard-fought defeat for Jordan Shearer against two-time NCAA qualifier Alfred Bannister at 149 pounds, #2 Tyler Berger (157) was set to square off against Adam Whitesell. Coming into the match, Berger had 38 dual takedowns and had yet to be taken down in a dual this year. Whitesell took him down twice in the first minute to go up 4-1.
Berger responded with a reversal to bring it to 4-3, got Whitesell on his back, and pinned him at 2:39 to notch his first victory by pinfall of the year. #6 Isaiah White (165) won his tenth consecutive match in a 14-10 decision over Phil Spadafora to put NU up 20-3. White hasn't lost since Nov. 18 at Wyoming.
#9 Mikey Labriola did not wrestle after Maryland chose to forfeit at 174 pounds. #5 Taylor Venz (184) jumped out to a 5-0 lead before choosing to end the match in the second period, pinning Kyle Jasenski (4:46). The pinfall victory is Venz' fourth of the season. He's now won two of his last three matches by bonus points.
Nebraska's #11 Eric Schultz continued his stellar wrestling as of late, earning a 26-11 tech. fall over Niko Cappello. The victory brings the sophomore from Tinley Park, Ill., to 15-5 on the year. Schultz has won 12 of his last 14 matches.
Heading into the final bout, which was perhaps the most anticipated of the night, the Huskers led the Terrapins 37-3. Maryland's heavyweight, #6 Youssif Hemida, is a two-time NCAA qualifier and earned All-America honors last year as a junior. A back-and-forth match between Hemida and Nebraska's #14 David Jensen ended with Hemida coming out on top in an 8-6 decision. The loss was Jensen's first of the year (10-1).
With the win, #11 Nebraska moves to 8-2 (2-1 B1G) on the season and Maryland falls to 0-6 (0-3).
Results:
125: #14 Zeke Moisey (NEB) major dec. Brandon Cray (MD), 16-4 (NEB 4, MD 0)
133: Jevon Parrish (NEB) dec. Orion Anderson (MD), 9-5 (NEB 7, MD 0)
141: #19 Chad Red Jr. (NEB) major dec. Michael Doetsch (MD), 15-2 (NEB 11, MD 0)
149: Alfred Bannister (MD) dec. Jordan Shearer (NEB), 5-3 (NEB 11, MD 3)
157: #2 Tyler Berger (NEB) pinned Adam Whitesell (MD) (2:39) (NEB 17, MD 3)
165: #6 Isaiah White (NEB) dec. Phil Spadafora (MD), 14-10 (NEB 20, MD 3)
174: #9 Mikey Labriola (NEB) won by forfeit (NEB 26, MD 3)
184: #5 Taylor Venz (NEB) pinned Kyle Jasenski (MD) (4:46) (NEB 32, MD 3)
197: #11 Eric Schultz (NEB) tech. fall Niko Cappello (MD), 26-11 (NEB 37, MD 3)
HWT: #6 Youssif Hemida (MD) dec. #14 David Jensen (NEB), 8-6 (NEB 37, MD 6)
Up Next:
The Huskers head to State College, Pa., to take on the #1 Penn State Nittany Lions on Sunday, Jan. 20 at Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions have won seven out of the last eight NCAA Championships and have four different wrestlers ranked as the consensus #1 guy in their weight class.
NU returns to the Devaney Center on Sunday, Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. to host the #19 Illinois Illini. Tickets are on sale at Huskers.com/tickets or by phone at 800-8BIGRED.
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