While the Hoosiers (4-2 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) fought back to tie the match, 19-19, in the final 149-pound match, the Badgers (2-0, 1-0) ultimately prevailed the victors, winning by second criteria to clinch the final 20-19 victory. UW outscored Indiana, 69-64, in match points to secure the win.
After falling behind 3-0 following the opening match at 157 pounds, Wisconsin rebounded to take the next two matches.
No. 3 Isaac Jordan (165 pounds) put the Badgers on the right path with a big bonus-point win. Jordan started the bout strong with a takedown at 1:13 in the first period. He then bumped up his lead 30 seconds into the second period with two nearfall points and jumped out to a 4-0 lead.
Jordan escaped at the start of the third and took down Bryce Martin one last time as the final minute winded down. He tacked on a riding time point to secure the 8-0 blanking. Jordan improved to 12-1 on the season.
No. 20 Ryan Christensen, UW's starting 174-pounder, followed suit with Jordan's win and continued the Badgers' streak with a 7-3 win of his own. Christensen used a single-leg shot to go up 2-1 late in the first period. After a scoreless second period, Christensen shot up to a 5-1 advantage with a reversal. Indiana's Devin Skatzka managed a reversal of his own, but Christensen topped off the score with a last-second reversal at the end of the period.
Wisconsin's win streak was stopped, as sixth-ranked Nate Jackson defeated Hunter Ritter with an 11-2 major decision.
The Badgers bounced right back, as Ricky Robertson smoldered Jakob Hinz at 197 pounds with a 10-2 major decision, the second bonus-point win of the night. The Tinley Park, Illinois, native exploded in the third period with three takedowns and a final riding time point.
After Robertson broke the 7-7 dual tie and bumped UW up to a 11-7 advantage, it was time for the heavyweights to take the stage.
Senior Connor Medbery was the Badgers biggest factor of the night, stealing away an 18-0 technical fall in 6:24. He took no time getting started, posting a takedown and four nearfall points in the first period. Medbery closed out the second with an additional four nearfall for a 10-0 lead. He finished off his first dual win of the season with a takedown, penalty point, four more nearfall and the riding time point. For his efforts, Medbery gathered five team points for Wisconsin to give the Cardinal and White a 16-7 advantage.
UW fell behind, however, as Michael Cullen (125) dropped his match by tech fall to No. 12 Elijah Oliver and Eli Stickley (133) lost a 14-3 match to Garrett Pepple.
After Indiana tied the dual back up at 16-16, it came down to two final matches at 141 and 149 pounds.
No. 14 Cole Martin upended Cole Weaver with an 8-3 decision to bring the lead back in Wisconsin's corner (19-16). The two grapplers were tied, 3-3, headed into the final period, but it was all Martin in the third when he added a takedown and an escape to finalize the 8-3 decision.
Chris Perez upset No. 18 Andrew Crone, however, with a tight 5-4 decision at 149 pounds to tie the dual up, 19-19.
After a scoreless first period, Robertson took the lead with an escape and takedown in the second.
Wisconsin prevailed with victory by Criteria 3.15.3, "total match points scoring only from decisions, major decisions, and technical falls."
The Badgers held a 69-64 advantage in the total match points category, giving the Badgers the decisive team point. It was the third match decided via tiebreaker criteria for Indiana this season.
TJ Ruschell fell by a tight 8-7 decision to Jake Danishek in his first match of the season. Ruschell fell behind 4-2 after the second period after Danishek tallied two takedowns. Danishek used a reversal and takedown in the third to secure the 8-7 win. Ruschell tallied four escapes and one takedown in the match.
Wisconsin returns to action on Sunday for its first home dual of the season when the Badgers host Northern Iowa at noon inside the UW Field House.
Results:
157 Jake Danishek (9-4) dec. T.J. Ruschell (0-1) 8-7 IU 3, UW 0
165 #3 Isaac Jordan (12-1) maj. dec. Bryce Martin (7-3) 8-0 UW 4, IU 3
174 #20 Ryan Christensen (12-3) dec. Devin Skatzka (8-3) 7-3 UW 7, IU 3
184 #6 Nate Jackson (11-0) maj. dec. Hunter Ritter (13-6) 11-2 IU 7, UW 7
197 #15 Ricky Robertson (13-5) maj. dec. Jake Hinz (6-5) 10-2 UW 11, IU 7
285 #2 Connor Medbery (9-0) tech fall Fletcher Miller (5-6) 18-0 UW 16, IU 7
125 #12 Elijah Oliver (8-1) tech fall Michael Cullen (2-2) 18-2 UW 16, IU 12
133 Garrett Pepple (8-3) maj. dec. Eli Stickley (11-7) 14-3 IU 16, UW 16
141 #14 Cole Martin (13-4) dec. Cole Weaver (3-4) 8-3 UW 19, IU 16
149 Chris Perez (2-1) dec. #18 Andrew Crone (13-3) 5-4 IU 19, UW 19
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