The Badgers trailed the Buckeyes 18-15 entering the 197 lbs. bout, but two-consecutive major decisions by the two seniors propelled UW over OSU. The win represents Bugenhagen's first major decision in a dual this season and Brandvold's sixth.
"It felt really good to get a win like that in front of all of the fans on Senior Day," Brandvold said. "After all of the hard work I have put in for the past five years, it was great to get a big win and have the support of my friends and family."
Although Wisconsin gave up two falls for the second-straight dual, the Badgers collected four victories by bonus points.
The dual began at 125 lbs. where redshirt sophomore Tom Kelliher earned his first win since beating Illinois Logan Arlis on Jan. 16. Kelliher defeated Bo Touris by a 10-4 decision, putting the Badgers on top, 3-0. Despite Touris scoring the first points of the match with a takedown, Kelliher rallied back to record three takedowns, three escapes and 2:08 of riding time.
No. 3 redshirt sophomore Tyler Graff then extended Wisconsin's lead to 8-0 with a five-point tech fall against Jacob Vaughn. In Graff's tenth tech fall of the season, he scored five takedowns, six nearfall points and an escape. The 17-2 victory awarded Graff his 24th victory (at 133 lbs.) of the season.
OSU earned its first dual points at 141 lbs. where Randy Languis pinned redshirt freshman Danny Arnel 1:25 into the bout. Languis' win brought the Buckeyes within one point of the Badgers.
No. 8 redshirt sophomore Cole Schmitt then defeated Joe Gandominico by a 9-3 decision at 149 lbs. Schmitt was on track for a major decision, leading 8-1 with 19 seconds remaining in the match, but was reversed by Grandominico. Schmitt's two takedowns, reversal, two nearfall points accompanied by 4:23 of riding time gave UW an 11-6 lead.
At 157 lbs., redshirt freshman Shawn Perry lost to Sean Nemec by a 9-5 decision. Perry trailed by as many as five points in the match, but scored a takedown, two escapes and was given a point for Nemec's excessive stall warnings. Perry's loss narrowed the Badgers' lead to 11-9.
The Buckeyes grabbed their second pin of the afternoon at 165 lbs. Freshman Ben Cox battled No. 7 Colt Sponseller for most of the first period, but fell at 2:43. The fall gave Ohio State its first lead of the afternoon, 15-11.
The closest match of the day came at 174 lbs. where No. 17 redshirt sophomore Ben Jordan faced No. 13 Nick Heflin. The wrestler each earned a point for escaping after starting down at the beginning of the second and third period, but Heflin scored a quick takedown with just six seconds remaining in the matchup. Heflin's 3-1 decision extended the Buckeyes' lead to 18-11.
No. 3 junior Travis Rutt then responded with Wisconsin's first of three-straight major decisions to end the dual. Rutt defeated C.J. Magrum by a 12-1 major decision that included two takedowns, six nearfall points, an escape and 2:35 of riding time. The victory brought UW within three points of OSU.
Brandvold then reclaimed the lead for the Badgers, 19-18, beating Peter Capone by a major decision. Brandvold entered the second period leading by just two points, but scored four additional takedowns, a reversal and 4:23 of riding time in the 13-4 major decision.
Bugenhagen sealed the win for Wisconsin with another major decision over Zach Stolarsky. Bugenhagen scored four takedowns, an escape and 3:55 of riding time in his last bout at the UW Field House. The 10-1 major decision gave the Badgers a 23-18 victory over the Buckeyes.
"The support of my friends and family was exactly what I needed to give me the momentum to keep scoring points today," Bugenhagen said. "Every win gives me confidence and it will really help me heading into the last two duals next weekend."
Wisconsin now travels to University Park, Pa. to face No. 3 Penn State. The Nittany Lions defeated the Badgers in last season's dual, 22-15. The Badgers compete in their final dual of the season at Michigan State on Sunday in East Lansing, Mich.
Results:
125: Tom Kelliher (WIS) dec. Bo Touris (OSU), 10‐4
133: #3 Tyler Graff (WIS) tech. fall Jacob Vaughan (OSU), 17‐2, 5:37
141: Randy Languis (OSU) pin Danny Arnel (WIS), 1:35
149: #8 Cole Schmitt (WIS) dec. Joe Grandominico (OSU), 9‐3
157: Sean Nemec (OSU) dec. Shawn Perry (WIS), 9‐5
165: #7 Colt Sponseller (OSU) pin Ben Cox (WIS), 2:43
174: #13 Nick Heflin (OSU) dec. #17 Ben Jordan (WIS), 3‐1
184: #3 Travis Rutt (WIS) maj. dec. C.J. Magrum (OSU), 12‐1
197: #2 Trevor Brandvold (WIS) maj. dec. Peter Capone (OSU), 13‐4
Hwt: #11 Eric Bugenhagen (WIS) maj. dec. Zach Stolarsky (OSU), 10‐1
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